• Populus angustifolia – Narrowleaf Cottonwood: height: 30-50’, Spread 20-30’, Hardy to 8,000 ft. Dense upright oval to pyramidal tree. Will sucker profusely! (there is one called ‘Creekside’ that has been grafted to P. acuminata rootstock (lanceleaf cottonwood) to prevent suckering. Has long narrow, willow-like leaves.

• Populus deltoides ssp. monilifera (also known as Populus sargentii)– Plains Cottonwood: 60-80’ spread 50-60’ Hardy to 7,000 ft. Wyoming State Tree! Native, big, fast growing and hardy. A broad, irregularly rounded canopy with coarse, spreading branches. Smooth grayish brown bark becomes deeply grooved and dark gray as it ages. Rich green leaves have a wide triangular shape. Golden yellow in fall. There is a selection of sargentii known as “Straight Plains,” (Populus sargentii ‘Jeronimus’) that was selected for a straighter growth habit. It reaches 60’ to 80’ high and 40-50’ wide.

• Populus deltoides ‘Siouxland’ – Eastern Cottonwood– Height 75 to 100’ Width: 50-75’. Hardy to A large tree with a clear bole and an open spreading crown resulting in a somewhat vase-shaped form. Not quite as adapted to the High Plains as the sub-species: Populus deltoides ssp. monilifera (populus sargentii) see above.

• Populus acuminata x sargentii ‘Highland’ – Highland Cottonwood. Height: 45’ – 50’, Width: 20’ – 30’. Hardy to 7,000 ft. A smaller and more upright version of the plains cottonwood. Originally from the Cheyenne Horticultural Research Station. A hardy substitute for P. acuminata (lanceleaf cottonwood) because it is a cross of acuminata and sargentii. Has been seen to have problems with canker disease at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens.

• Populus x acuminata – Lanceleaf Cottonwood. This is a naturally occurring cross between sargentii and angustifolia. Height 40-60’ width: 30-40’ Hardy to 7,500’ ft. An upright rounded tree with dense branching and smooth grayish brown bark that becomes ridged as it matures. Leaves shaped like the head of a spear are shiny green changing to yellow in fall. It can suffer from borers and canker disease.

• Populus x canescens ‘tower’ – Tower Poplar. Height: 30-40’, Width: 8-12’. Similar to the old Lombardi popular but more disease resistance. Very upright growth fast growing.

• Populus alba – Silver Poplar. Height 40-70’, Width 35-50’. Hardy to 7500 ft. Large spreading tree with chalky-white bark when young becoming deep furrowed and back with age. Leaves are wooly white underneath and dark green on top. Will sucker profusely. Needs ample room to grow and is at its best out in the open countryside. Extremely cold hardy to -40F. Tends to be weak wooded.