Cottonwood

Cottonwood. Station 13. There are a number of large cottonwood trees along the west shore of the island. These shallow-rooted giants are exceptionally fast growing and require lots of water. It is one of the most common trees growing along the watercourses and lakeshores on the prairies., Cottonwood, The cottonwood was a sacred tree to the Indians, and saplings were often used as center poles in sun dances. The nutritious bark of the young cottonwoods was often used to feed ponies during the winter. Young cotton pods were among the first green things to appear in the spring, and some tribes readily ate them. The female cottonwood tree strews cotton over wide areas when the pods ripen and open to the wind.