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Populus fremontii Wats.
by Allen Zufelt, Native Plants Class
Common names: Fremont cottonwood, Arizona cottonwood, Alamo cottonwood
Family: Salicaceae
Synonymy: Populus fremontii var. mesetae (Eckenwalder), Populus fremontii var. pubescens
(Sarg.)
Etymology: The epithet fremontii refers to the botanist Fremont who cataloged this plant.
Identification
Growth form: Riparian tree. Mature trees ranging from 19.7 to 112 feet.
Roots:
Stem: Stem on young and immature trees are smooth. Mature trees becoming deeply furrowed.
Mature trees DBH range from 19.7 inches to 12.8 feet.[8]
Leaves: Leaves are simple, alternate, and deciduous. L light green to yellow in fall. Crown
becoming cylindrical or broad and rounded. [7, 6, 5]
Inflorescence/flowers: Produce catkins. Male catkins range from 1.25 to 3.25 inches. Female
catkins range from 4 to 5 inches.[9]
Similar species: Populus angustifolia, Populus trichocarpa, P. fremontii will hybridize with P.
angustifolia to produce P. hinkleyana [8] and with P. tricocarpa to produce P. parryi.
Ecology
Life history: Short lived as compared to other trees, around 130 year lifespan.
Native/introduced: Native[5].
Photosynthetic pathway:
Phenology: This cottonwood is an obligate sexual producer, wind disseminated seeds in the
spring give the plant its common name. Will regenerate asexually after crown damage, or
disturbance.
Distribution: Elevational distribution from 0 to 9400 ft in Arizona. Obligate riparian tree, found
often in mixed stands with willows (Salix spp.).[1] Drought intolerant, growing tree roots can
extend as much as half an inch per day to reach the water table.
Uses
Wildlife: These cottonwoods are very important for bird nesting habitat and cover. Fair to good
forage food for deer, and other native species. Considered a valuable browse plant for
livestock.[1]
References
1.
Welsh, Stanley L.; Atwood, N. Duane; Goodrich, Sherel; Higgins, Larry C., eds. 1987. A
Utah flora. The Great Basin Naturalist Memoir No. 9. Provo, UT: Brigham Young
University. 894 p.
2. 135. Sampson, Arthur W.; Jespersen, Beryl S. 1963. California range brushlands and
browse plants. Berkeley, CA: University of California, Division of Agricultural Sciences,
California Agricultural Experiment Station, Extension Service. 162 p. [3240] 148. Szaro,
Robert C. 1989. Riparian forest and scrubland community types of Arizona and New
Mexico.
Desert Plants. 9(3- 4): 70-138.
3. Powell, A. Michael. 1988. Trees & shrubs of Trans-Pecos Texas including Big Bend and
Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Big Bend National Park, TX: Big Bend Natural
History Association. 536 p.
4. Kearney, Thomas H.; Peebles, Robert H.; Howell, John Thomas; McClintock, Elizabeth.
1960. Arizona flora. 2d ed. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 1085 p.]
5. Eckenwalder, James E. 1992. Salicaceae: Willow family. Part one: Populus. In: A new
flora for Arizona in preparation. In: Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science.
26(1): 29-33.
6. Eckenwalder, James E. 1977. North American cottonwoods (Populus, Salicaceae) of
sections Abaso and Aigeiros. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 58(3): 193-208.
7. Bolsinger, Charles L. 1988. The hardwoods of California's timberlands, woodlands, and
savannas. Resour. Bull. PNW-RB-148. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 148 p.
8. Dittberner, Phillip L.; Olson, Michael R. 1983. The plant information network (PIN) data
base: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. FWS/OBS-83/86.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 786 p.
9. Braatne, Jeffrey H.; Rood, Stewart B.; Heilman, Paul E. 1996. Life history, ecology, and
conservation of riparian cottonwoods in North America. In: Steller, R. F., ed. Biology of
Populus and its implications for management and conservation. Ottawa, ON: National
Research Council of Canada, NRC Research Press: 57-85.