cottonwood trees: trash or treasure?

Jenn · #1 09/29/12, 08:33 AM

Finally realised some trees springing up around the neighborhood and in my yard are cottonwoods. I loved them as a kid in SD- rustling and shimmering in sunlight near the slough like piles of gold coins. Read in a brief Google search they make canoes from cottonwood in Jamaica but would believe that might be a different species than these in Alabama- someone in Calif. said cottonwoods are only useful for matchsticks and paper pulp.

I like the tropical looking smooth gold green (at 1-2" diameter) trunks. Mine are all in my mulch piles of old leaves but in the neighborhood they are struggling up along the culvert at roadside getting chopped down to ground level every few years.

Should they stay or should they go?

uncle Will in In. · #2 09/29/12, 08:51 AM

They grow faster than most trees. They have a lot of limbs break off during storms. Sometimes The tree will break in two or get uprooted also.
It's best to keep them away from buildings or something the fall out could be a problem. Some of the trees shed "cotton" in the spring which is messy around the house. Not all of them shed cotton. If you like them set them out and if they are cotton shedders cut them down.

Pamela · #3 09/29/12, 08:52 AM

I love them . Also love the rustling leaves in the wind. The shade they produce. Bring back memories of my childhood days growing up in Montana. I planted two cottonless cottonwoods here in the field for shade. They grow fast and bring me pleasure just seeing them.

Belfrybat · #4 09/29/12, 09:00 AM

What does "Meh" mean on the poll?

MO_cows · #5 09/29/12, 09:09 AM

They can get HUGE. Our friends have an old one that takes several people with arms outstretched to circle the trunk. They trimmed some limbs that overhung the house, those "branches" were as big as some tree trunks. So leave them, thin them if needed, and future generations will have something amazing.

jwal10 · #6 09/29/12, 09:11 AM

Meh= who cares. I don't like them, they set off my kids' allergies. Messy trees. Would rather have alders or quaking aspens....James

ninny · #7 09/29/12, 09:28 AM

Have one right outside my front door. Hate the blasted thing. Every time the wind blows it drops leaves/branches and some of those branches are good size. Had a storm here last night and front yard is littered with leaves and branches this morning. If you run an airconditioner and have one of the trees around that produces the cotton, you'd better make sure to check your outside unit on a regular basis. The cotton will stop the coils up in a hurry and can either ruin your unit or cause your elect. bill to go sky high. And, they suck up an enormous amount of water.

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mary,tx · #8 09/29/12, 09:30 AM

I love them, but want to second keeping them far away from the house and structures.

When we moved here, we had a big, beautiful cottonwood in the front yard. Trouble is, it had reached about the end of its lifespan, which I believe is about 50 years. You can google that to check. Anyway, ours was still all leafy and everything, but was hollow all the way down the trunk.

It really scared me every time a storm blew up because I figured a branch falling down could kill someone, or the right branch coming down could take out half the house.

We finally had it removed.

ErinP · #9 09/29/12, 09:53 AM

Quote:

cottonwood trees: trash or treasure?

Yes!

Because I'm a child of the prairie, cottonwoods/poplars are the shade trees I know and love. I've driven down many a private lane, lined with gigantic, old cottonwoods. They grow quickly and provide a huge amount of shade.

At the same time, I've also known plenty of people who parked under one

only to have a limb come down in the wind and smash their vehicle. Or, in storms, limbs will go through a roof.

So yes, cottonwoods are an excellent shade choice (particularly the cottonless ones), provided you keep the fact that they're notorious for falling apart in the back of your mind.

Wayne02 · #10 09/29/12, 10:11 AM

Trash

Branches break off easily in our windstorms

Shallow root ball - fall over easily in our windstorms

Poor firewood

Very messy if you have any that are near your infrastructure - buildings, vehicles, farm equipment, etc.

Useless as far as making farm lumber out of them

Worth little in the market. Several years ago there was a bunch of large cottonwoods that we took down and we were lucky to find somebody to take them. We got a little money for them but the requirements were pretty specific as to the log size (dia/length) that they would take. I believe they were exported.

ksfarmer · #11 09/29/12, 10:25 AM

I think a lot depends on where you are. Like ErinP says they can be a hazard, but in the plains states they are one of the best. We have one that is over a 100 years old. It was the only tree on the farm when our ancester bought it from the original homesteader in 1902. It is enormous and turns gold every fall, provides homes for lots of wildlife and rustles in the breeze. Aspens don't grow here, the cottonwood has a root system that will keep going to find water and can survive in our area when lots of others die out in the droughts. Not great firewood, cotton is a problem a few weeks of the year, and seems to attract lightening. You can use cottonwood lumber, I helped dad build a shed for tractors from cotton wood for sheeting on the roof with tin, this was 55 years ago and its still standing. Think I will keep mine, especially the old "homestead tree".

DW · #12 09/29/12, 10:31 AM

KS said it all...here in Colorado (where you must water)...they are our only Large trees and we do use them for firewood.

wwubben · #13 09/29/12, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne02

Trash

Branches break off easily in our windstorms

Shallow root ball - fall over easily in our windstorms

Poor firewood

Very messy if you have any that are near your infrastructure - buildings, vehicles, farm equipment, etc.

Useless as far as making farm lumber out of them

Worth little in the market. Several years ago there was a bunch of large cottonwoods that we took down and we were lucky to find somebody to take them. We got a little money for them but the requirements were pretty specific as to the log size (dia/length) that they would take. I believe they were exported.

Cottonwood can be very satisfactory for farm lumber.My grandfather framed a corn crib with cottonwood in 1948.It was in perfect shape when we tore it down in 1976.You can not expose it to the weather or it will rot.

ronbre · #14 09/29/12, 11:22 AM

being a forest lover all trees are a treasure to me..maybe not to the market.

animals and birds and beneficial insects love them, they are great browse when young, and although they aren't the best firewood you can burn them ..they burn hot and fast ..good spring and fall firewood or campfires when you just want to warm up for a little while but don't want it burning all night.

Ravenlost · #15 09/29/12, 01:08 PM

We have a few...one in the barn lot and a few in the pastures. I love them!

oth47 · #16 09/29/12, 07:10 PM

We got into some cottonwood at the furniture factory that I retired from..made some beautiful furniture.When sawing it,it smells like the fired caps from cap guns.I love that smell..

**Cabin Fever** · #17 09/29/12, 07:29 PM

Cottonwood is a beautiful tree along the rivers and low wet areas where they naturally occur. Would I want one in my yard? Absolutely not!

andyd2023 · #18 09/29/12, 07:38 PM

Cottonwoods are like the river Birch we have on our place. They are a beautiful tree, along the rivers and fields. I would not want one in my yard, or close to the house.

naturelover · #19 09/29/12, 07:42 PM

I love cottonwoods, especially our giant northern Black Cottonwoods. They're good for making topical skin medicine which is called Balm of Giliad and for use in aromatherapy, the scent of the resin is heavenly. They help prevent soil erosion during floods or droughts, they provide wind breaks, shade and habitat, the cottonwood fluff is very useful for insulation and absorbant padding, the tree sap is sweet and edible. When properly cured the wood is good enough for lumber and firewood. The windfall branches are excellent (the best) for creating raised hugelkultur gardens which also prevent soil erosion from floods and wind and help to combat the effects of drought and intense summer heat.

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secuono · #20 09/29/12, 07:50 PM

Any tree can be messy, I don't mind trees of any kind until they start issues.
I love Willows, so I get over them loosing branches all year long. But our huge, old Sycamores are either too old or infected. They drop green, live branches and I can't afford 1-4 thousand dollar tree removal...

I love all plants, as long as they are healthy and stable.