Fremont Cottonwood

Fremont Cottonwood. . The huge tree near the pond was here long before Bicentennial Park was created. The Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii) is a fast growing tree commonly found along creeks and washes or within the flood plains of larger rivers. They often establish naturally in coarse soils, but they can tolerate fine-grained soil and somewhat alkali conditions if they also have plenty of water. They are occasionally cultivated and this lone tree may well have been planted considering the soil conditions are less than ideal for natural establishment. The deeply furrowed bark of this old-timer and the soft wood typical of the species provides great habitat for boring insects which in turn attract insect eating birds such as woodpeckers., A few small Fremont Cottonwood seedlings were planted in the wetland. Although the tree at the pond still has many years left, the new seedlings may someday stand tall after the old-timer has fallen. You may find the young trees by looking for saplings with leaves like those on the old tree, but the bark on a young tree is smooth and whitish in color.