Cottonwood Trees - Ask Extension
My family farm has had cottonwood trees around the house for years. The cottonwoods don't live to be too old because they eventually fall over when th...
Knowledgebase
Cottonwood Trees #912193
Asked July 31, 2025, 3:25 PM EDT
My family farm has had cottonwood trees around the house for years. The cottonwoods don't live to be too old because they eventually fall over when they are older after growing quickly. We have determine that there are many cottonwood roots around the house that are sprouting up new trees. Sometimes we let the trees grow, but some are too close to the house and we mainly just cut off the growth.
I have one of the sprouts and a section of root in a bucket with soil and it seems happy, or it's staying alive in a little soil. I'm considering replanting this little guy in a new location but am not sure if cottonwoods are best for the soil. I've been reading mixed reviews. Cottonwoods seem like they could be good for stream stabilization, but I've heard they might deplete the soil of nitrogen.
In the picture below the dark root is the cottonwood root that I cut to get the sprouts out of the ground. Also- if the university wants any baby cottonwoods I'd be happy to donate.
Thanks for any help here!
Tiffany
Carroll County Maryland
Expert Response
UMD isn't looking to plant Cottonwoods, but thank you for offering. The sample pictured does not look like an Eastern Cottonwood, which doesn't have a white, felt-like coating on the back of its leaves. (It's named for cotton-like wind-born seeds, not a cottony coating on the foliage.) Instead, the tree suckers (root sprouts) you're dealing with might be the invasive species White Poplar, which does have that leaf trait. Bigtooth Aspen can have white woolly leaf undersides when young, but we're not certain if that applies only to seedlings or also to sucker growth. However, the leaves pictured don't seem to match those of Bigtooth Aspen.
All of those species are found in several Maryland counties. A tool like the tree ID key by Virginia Tech might help separate them using leaf (summer) or bud (winter) characteristics; they list several Populus species trees in their database (put Populus into the search bar on that page). If these tree suckers are deemed to be a non-native species like the invasive White Poplar, we do not recommend sharing or replanting them.
None of those trees will deplete the soil of nitrogen, and references to that consequence might be thinking of the tree growing as a weed in an agricultural setting, since any fast-growing and unwanted plant will use nutrients intended for the desired crop. All plants use nitrogen in greater quantities than any other nutrient they absorb, but nitrogen is replenished in the soil as plant and animal parts decay (organic matter like compost provides some slow-release nitrogen), and the soil can even be "fertilized" naturally when lightning brings more plant-available nitrogen to the soil in rain.
Miri
All of those species are found in several Maryland counties. A tool like the tree ID key by Virginia Tech might help separate them using leaf (summer) or bud (winter) characteristics; they list several Populus species trees in their database (put Populus into the search bar on that page). If these tree suckers are deemed to be a non-native species like the invasive White Poplar, we do not recommend sharing or replanting them.
None of those trees will deplete the soil of nitrogen, and references to that consequence might be thinking of the tree growing as a weed in an agricultural setting, since any fast-growing and unwanted plant will use nutrients intended for the desired crop. All plants use nitrogen in greater quantities than any other nutrient they absorb, but nitrogen is replenished in the soil as plant and animal parts decay (organic matter like compost provides some slow-release nitrogen), and the soil can even be "fertilized" naturally when lightning brings more plant-available nitrogen to the soil in rain.
Miri
Hi Miri-
Thanks so much for the thorough and quick explanation. I think I'll keep my baby cottonwood as a deck tree in a planter since it's considered invasive. This check out because we have tons of those little tree suckers all around where the original trees were planted in the yard.
Thanks-
Tiffany
Suckers do not indicate invasiveness, as a number of native and non-native trees can sucker as well (suckers are only a response to stress or having the main trunk die, break in a storm, or be cut down). Instead, the invasive nature of White Poplar comes from seeds that disperse and colonize habitat where it can outcompete native species. If this sucker matures into a tree that you think is an invasive species when it's older and easier to identify, keep it from producing seed if possible so it doesn't seed into nearby natural areas. (Given how fast they grow, it will rapidly outgrow a container and then decline, so it might not get old enough to flower and set seed.)
Miri
Miri
