Home/Species/ Black Cottonwood

Populus trichocarpa

Torr. & Gray ex Hook.

Black Cottonwood

G5Secure Found in 262 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Least concernIUCN

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.151669

Element CodePDSAL01032

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

IUCNLeast concern

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderSalicales

FamilySalicaceae

GenusPopulus

Synonyms

Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa(Torr. & Gray ex Hook.) BrayshawPopulus balsamifera var. californicaS. Wats.Populus balsamifera var. trichocarpa

Other Common Names

black cottonwood (EN) Peuplier de l'Ouest (FR)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Taxonomic Comments

FNA (vol. 7, 2010) elevates Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa (= P. trichocarpa) to full species level. In contrast, Kartesz (1994) recognized P. balsamifera in a broad sense with two subspecies P. balsamifera ssp. balsamifera and P. balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa.

Conservation Status

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-05-10

Change Date1994-10-17

Edition Date2003-05-05

Edition AuthorsFellows, M.

Rank Reasons

Populus balsamifera spp. trichocarpa (= P. trichocarpa), like other P. balsamifera, is found in moist to wet sites at low to medium elevations (sea-level to 4500 feet). It can form dense stands on stream islands and along floodplains of major rivers (WSDOT 2001).

Ecology & Habitat

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN5

Province	Rank	Native
British Columbia	S5	Yes
Alberta	S3	Yes

United StatesN5

Province	Rank	Native
Alaska	SNR	Yes
North Dakota	S1	Yes
Washington	SNR	Yes
Nevada	SNR	Yes
Montana	SNR	Yes
California	SNR	Yes
Wyoming	SNR	Yes
Oregon	SNR	Yes
Idaho	SNR	Yes
Utah	S2	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (262)

Alaska (38)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bering Lake	Chugach National Forest	965,076
Boston Bar	Chugach National Forest	53,617
Chichagof	Tongass National Forest	555,858
Chilkat-West Lynn Canal	Tongass National Forest	199,772
College Fiord	Chugach National Forest	1,130,818
Copper River Wetlands	Chugach National Forest	85,972
Crystal	Tongass National Forest	18,972
Douglas Island	Tongass National Forest	28,065
East Mitkof	Tongass National Forest	8,795
Fidalgo-Gravina	Chugach National Forest	257,968
Game Creek	Tongass National Forest	54,469
Gravina	Tongass National Forest	37,381
Green Rocks	Tongass National Forest	11,093
Hyder	Tongass National Forest	121,723
Johnson Pass	Chugach National Forest	152,508
Juneau Urban	Tongass National Forest	101,581
Juneau-Skagway Icefield	Tongass National Forest	1,187,268
Kenai Lake	Chugach National Forest	213,172
Kenai Mountains	Chugach National Forest	306,600
Lindenberg	Tongass National Forest	25,855
Madan	Tongass National Forest	68,553
Mansfield Peninsula	Tongass National Forest	54,991
Nellie Juan	Chugach National Forest	713,697
North Kupreanof	Tongass National Forest	114,660
North Wrangell	Tongass National Forest	8,091
Quartz	Tongass National Forest	143,003
Resurrection	Chugach National Forest	224,615
Revilla	Tongass National Forest	29,298
Rhine	Tongass National Forest	23,010
Roaded Donut	Chugach National Forest	968
Sheridan Glacier	Chugach National Forest	224,683
Sullivan	Tongass National Forest	67,323
Taku-Snettisham	Tongass National Forest	664,928
Tenakee Ridge	Tongass National Forest	20,527
Twenty Mile	Chugach National Forest	198,775
Upper Situk	Tongass National Forest	16,789
Windham-Port Houghton	Tongass National Forest	161,952
Yakutat Forelands	Tongass National Forest	323,648

California (81)

Area	Forest	Acres
Arroyo Seco	Angeles National Forest	4,703
Bear Mountain	Los Padres National Forest	913
Black Canyon	Inyo National Forest	32,421
Black Cinder	Lassen National Forest	239
Board Camp	Six Rivers National Forest	4,527
Bonanza King	Shasta-Trinity National Forest	16,402
Buckeye Ridge	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	2,241
Caples Creek	Eldorado National Forest	17,854
Carson - Iceberg	Stanislaus National Forest	56,430
Castle Peak	Tahoe National Forest	14,974
Chico	Sequoia National Forest	39,836
Chips Creek	Lassen National Forest	29,089
Chips Creek	Plumas National Forest	12,940
Coyote North	Inyo National Forest	11,932
Coyote Southeast	Inyo National Forest	53,159
Cucamonga A	Angeles National Forest	1,249
Dardanelles	Eldorado National Forest	8,110
Dome	Stanislaus National Forest	11,085
Dry Lakes	Los Padres National Forest	17,043
Duncan Canyon	Tahoe National Forest	8,621
Eagle	Stanislaus National Forest	16,116
East Yuba	Tahoe National Forest	17,968
Granite Chief	Tahoe National Forest	6,546
Grouse Lakes	Tahoe National Forest	19,085
Hoover - Mt.olsen	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	624
Hoover - North	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	1,574
Hoover - Twin Lakes	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	102
Horse Mdw.	Inyo National Forest	5,687
Horton	Inyo National Forest	5,717
Iceberg - Mill Creek	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	26,988
Ishi	Lassen National Forest	21,805
Kelly	Six Rivers National Forest	5,195
Lake Eleanor	Shasta-Trinity National Forest	397
Log Cabin Saddlebag	Inyo National Forest	15,165
Matilija	Los Padres National Forest	5,218
Middle Yuba	Tahoe National Forest	7,379
Mill Creek	Lassen National Forest	7,587
Monarch	Sierra National Forest	697
Mono	Los Padres National Forest	28,141
Mt. Olsen	Inyo National Forest	2,161
Mystic (CA)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	836
Nevahbe Ridge	Inyo National Forest	302
Night	Stanislaus National Forest	3,173
North Fork American River	Tahoe National Forest	38,495
North Fork Smith	Six Rivers National Forest	37,898
North Lake	Inyo National Forest	2,406
Orleans Mtn.	Klamath National Forest	49,090
Paiute	Inyo National Forest	58,712
Pleasant View	Angeles National Forest	26,395
Pyramid	Eldorado National Forest	24,347
Raymond Peak	Stanislaus National Forest	3,646
Raymond Peak	Eldorado National Forest	2,518
Robinson Peak	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,835
Rock Creek West	Inyo National Forest	3,626
San Gabriel Add	Angeles National Forest	2,527
San Joaquin	Sierra National Forest	22,474
Sawmill - Badlands	Los Padres National Forest	51,362
Sespe - Frazier	Los Padres National Forest	106,910
Sheep Mountain	Angeles National Forest	21,098
Ship Mountain	Six Rivers National Forest	11,936
Silver Hill	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	4,423
Sinkard	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	2,004
Siskiyou	Klamath National Forest	54,039
Siskiyou B	Six Rivers National Forest	18,871
Soldier	Modoc National Forest	10,102
Soldier Canyon	Inyo National Forest	40,589
Sugarloaf	San Bernardino National Forest	8,206
Sweetwater (CA)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	19,241
Table Mtn.	Inyo National Forest	4,215
Tinemaha	Inyo National Forest	27,060
Tragedy - Elephants Back	Eldorado National Forest	20,866
Weaver Bally	Shasta-Trinity National Forest	829
West Girard	Shasta-Trinity National Forest	37,516
West Yuba	Plumas National Forest	6,071
Westfork	Angeles National Forest	4,407
Wheeler Ridge	Inyo National Forest	15,744
Whisky Creek	Inyo National Forest	865
White Ledge	Los Padres National Forest	18,632
Wild Horse Mtn. (CA)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	28,822
Wonoga Pk.	Inyo National Forest	11,272
Woodpecker	Sequoia National Forest	11,936

Idaho (9)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bighorn - Weitas	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	254,845
Borah Peak	Salmon-Challis National Forest	130,463
Hoodoo	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	153,868
Needles	Payette National Forest	131,279
North Lochsa Slope	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	117,662
Pioneer Mountains	Sawtooth National Forest	119,563
Pioneer Mountains	Salmon-Challis National Forest	172,460
Secesh	Payette National Forest	248,088
West Meadow Creek	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	115,949

Montana (14)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bmss Ra 1485	Flathead National Forest	334,275
Buckhorn Ridge (MT)	Kootenai National Forest	34,716
Call Mountain	Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest	8,796
Cube Iron - Silcox	Lolo National Forest	36,998
Deadhorse Ridge Ra 1128	Flathead National Forest	23,648
East Pioneer	Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest	145,082
Fishtail Saddleback	Custer National Forest	16,359
Hyalite - Porcupine - Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area	Gallatin National Forest	143,991
Lolo Creek	Lolo National Forest	14,335
Middle Fork Judith Wsa	Lewis and Clark National Forest	81,131
North Absaroka	Custer National Forest	21,063
Silver King	Lolo National Forest	12,816
West Big Hole	Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest	133,563
Willard Estelle #173	Kootenai National Forest	3,714

Nevada (29)

Area	Forest	Acres
Arc Dome - Carvers	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	3,846
Arc Dome - Ophir	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,652
Aurora Crater	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,689
Black Spring	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	11,016
Boundary Peak (NV)	Inyo National Forest	21,851
Bunker Hill	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	27,569
Cabin Creek	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	10,706
Copper Mtns.	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	31,945
Jarbidge - West Fork	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	2,725
Mystic (NV)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,644
Pearl Peak	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	71,405
Pine Grove South	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	88,945
Quinn	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	62,459
Rose - Alum Creek	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	853
Rose - Davis Mdw.	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	2,361
Rose - Evans	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	4,782
Rose - Galena	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	3,711
Rose - Hunter East	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	54
Rose - Thomas Mdw.	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	358
Rose - Whites Canyon	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	2,568
Ruby - Lamoille Cyn	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	32,771
Santa Rosa	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	54,555
Snowbird	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	8,859
South Fork Quinn	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	40,535
South Schell	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	125,614
Spanish Peak	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	31,520
Sugarloaf	Inyo National Forest	11,534
Sweetwater (NV)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,946
Toiyabe Range	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	99,225

Oregon (51)

Area	Forest	Acres
Badger Creek	Mt. Hood National Forest	847
Boulder Park	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	12,141
Bull Of The Woods	Mt. Hood National Forest	8,843
Deadhorse	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	10,690
Eagle	Mt. Hood National Forest	16,841
French Pete (a)	Willamette National Forest	1,668
Gordon Meadows	Willamette National Forest	9,463
Greenhorn Mountain	Malheur National Forest	15,936
Hellhole	Umatilla National Forest	65,679
Homestead	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	5,817
Huckleberry	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	11,238
Hurricane Creek	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	1,606
Imnaha Face	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	29,575
Lake	Mt. Hood National Forest	1,327
Lake Fork	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	21,936
Larch	Mt. Hood National Forest	12,961
Lick Creek	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	1,956
Little Eagle Meadows	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	6,984
Little Sheep	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	5,238
Lookingglass	Umatilla National Forest	4,859
Lookout Mountain	Ochoco National Forest	14,115
Lord Flat Somers Point	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	67,738
Maiden Peak	Willamette National Forest	9,627
Maiden Peak	Deschutes National Forest	26,432
Mcclellan Mountain	Malheur National Forest	21,213
Mclennon Mountain	Willamette National Forest	8,085
Menagerie (rooster Rock)	Willamette National Forest	374
Mill Creek Watershed (OR)	Umatilla National Forest	7,820
Mt. Jefferson	Deschutes National Forest	2,282
Mt. Hagen	Willamette National Forest	6,406
Mt. Hood Additions	Mt. Hood National Forest	13,061
Olallie	Mt. Hood National Forest	7,607
Opal Creek	Willamette National Forest	5,417
Reservoir	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	13,641
Roaring River	Mt. Hood National Forest	27,316
Salmon - Huckleberry	Mt. Hood National Forest	17,570
Sheep Divide	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	16,201
Sky Lakes A	Winema National Forest	3,940
Sky Lakes B	Winema National Forest	9,615
Snake River	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	31,229
Twin Lakes	Mt. Hood National Forest	6,055
Twin Mountain	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	58,533
Upper Catherine Creek	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	6,446
W. Boundary	Winema National Forest	2,345
Waldo	Deschutes National Forest	4,973
Waldo - Fuji	Willamette National Forest	15,273
Waldo - Lake	Willamette National Forest	2,993
Waldo - Moolack	Willamette National Forest	1,183
Walla Walla River	Umatilla National Forest	34,416
West - South Bachelor	Deschutes National Forest	25,994
Wind Creek	Mt. Hood National Forest	5,438

Utah (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
North Francis	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	8,148

Washington (39)

Area	Forest	Acres
Alpine Lakes Adj.	Wenatchee National Forest	57,104
Bear Creek	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	7,980
Big Lava Bed	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	19,043
Blue Slide	Wenatchee National Forest	17,505
Boulder River	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	32,563
Bourbon	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	4,512
Chelan	Wenatchee National Forest	74,650
Devils Gulch	Wenatchee National Forest	24,419
Eagle Rock	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	34,064
Entiat	Wenatchee National Forest	72,617
Glacier Peak B	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	19,328
Glacier Peak K	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	47,269
Glacier Peak L	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	14,084
Goat Rocks Adj	Wenatchee National Forest	6,108
Jefferson Ridge	Olympic National Forest	6,512
Jupiter Ridge	Olympic National Forest	10,148
Liberty Bell	Okanogan National Forest	108,495
Lightning	Olympic National Forest	7,179
Long Swamp	Okanogan National Forest	66,344
Madison Creek	Olympic National Forest	1,223
Manastash	Wenatchee National Forest	11,155
Mill Creek Watershed (WA)	Umatilla National Forest	16,747
Mt. Baker Noisy - Diobsud	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	56,039
Mt. Baker North	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	16,873
Mt. Baldy	Olympic National Forest	3,557
Nason Ridge	Wenatchee National Forest	19,329
Norse Peak	Wenatchee National Forest	10,169
Pasayten Rim	Okanogan National Forest	17,074
Pompey	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	23,985
Quartz	Wenatchee National Forest	8,550
Quilcene	Olympic National Forest	18,656
Red Lake	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	2,162
Rock Creek	Wenatchee National Forest	32,239
Salmo - Priest B	Colville National Forest	11,869
Sawtooth	Okanogan National Forest	122,194
Siouxon	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	12,773
Teanaway	Wenatchee National Forest	72,849
Tiffany	Okanogan National Forest	22,045
Upper Skokomish	Olympic National Forest	9,311

References (4)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2010. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 7. Magnoliophyta: Salicaceae to Brassicaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxii + 797 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, PLANTS Database [USDA PLANTS]. http://plants.usda.gov/. Accessed 2015.
Washington State Department of Transportation. 2001. Ethnobotany & Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa. Online. Available: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/environmental/programs/culres/ethbot/m-p/Populus.htm. Accessed: 21 Feb 2003.