Nebraska State Tree: Cottonwood

Nebraska's official state tree is the Cottonwood, specifically the Eastern Cottonwood or Plains Cottonwood. This large deciduous tree grows 50 to 80 feet tall in Nebraska, though exceptional specimens along the Platte River exceed 100 feet. The trunk measures three to five feet in diameter on mature trees. Some ancient cottonwoods in Nebraska river bottoms reach six to eight feet across. The tree grows remarkably fast - young cottonwoods can add four to six feet per year, making them one of North America's fastest-growing native hardwoods. This rapid growth made cottonwood valuable for pioneers needing quick windbreaks and shade on Nebraska's treeless prairies.

The bark starts smooth and greenish-gray on young trees, developing deep furrows and thick gray ridges as trees mature. The ridges create a diamond pattern on older trunks. The bark on very old cottonwoods becomes deeply furrowed with flat-topped ridges. Leaves are triangular or heart-shaped, measuring three to six inches long and nearly as wide. The leaf edges have rounded teeth. Leaves attach to flattened stems called petioles that allow leaves to flutter in the slightest breeze, creating the rustling sound associated with cottonwood groves. The leaves turn bright yellow in fall before dropping.

Cottonwood grows along Nebraska's rivers, streams, and wetlands. The species requires moist soil and access to groundwater, thriving where roots can reach water tables. Nebraska's major rivers - the Platte, Missouri, Niobrara, and Republican - all support extensive cottonwood groves. The tree dominates riparian forests that ribbon through Nebraska's grasslands. These riverside forests provide the only natural tree cover across much of Nebraska's prairie landscape. Cottonwood groves create critical habitat for Nebraska wildlife including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, bald eagles, and countless songbirds. The trees stabilize riverbanks and prevent erosion along Nebraska's waterways.

The common name Cottonwood comes from the cottony seeds that fill the air each spring. Female trees produce capsules that split open to release millions of tiny seeds, each attached to a tuft of white cottony fibers. The cotton drifts on wind like snow, sometimes accumulating in drifts along Nebraska roadsides. The scientific name Populus deltoides combines Populus (Latin for poplar) with deltoides (Greek for delta-shaped or triangular), describing the triangular leaf shape. The genus Populus includes all poplars and aspens.

Nebraskans call this tree Plains Cottonwood to distinguish it from other cottonwood species in western states. Early settlers called it simply cottonwood or prairie poplar. Some old-timers used the term necklace poplar, describing how seed capsules hang in chains resembling beaded necklaces. The species belongs to the Salicaceae family, the willow family. Nebraska's cottonwood is the same species that grows throughout the Great Plains and eastern United States, with slightly varying forms in different regions.

Nebraska adopted the Cottonwood as its official state tree on February 8, 1972. The Nebraska Legislature passed Legislative Bill 1098 during the 1972 session. Governor J. James Exon signed the legislation establishing cottonwood as Nebraska's arboreal symbol. The designation came after Nebraska citizens participated in a statewide vote to select the state tree. Cottonwood won decisively, reflecting its importance in Nebraska's landscape and history. The 1972 date held special significance - exactly 100 years after Nebraska founder J. Sterling Morton established Arbor Day in 1872.

Nebraska picked cottonwood because it represents the state's relationship with trees and prairies. When pioneers first crossed Nebraska in the 1840s and 1850s, vast treeless grasslands stretched for hundreds of miles. Cottonwood groves along rivers provided the only timber and shade. These groves became landmarks along the Oregon and Mormon Trails crossing Nebraska. Pioneer journals describe the relief of reaching cottonwood groves after days crossing open prairie. The trees supplied wood for wagon repairs, fuel for fires, and shelter from prairie winds. Cottonwood logs built many of Nebraska's first cabins and sod houses included cottonwood timbers for roof supports.

The tree holds special meaning for Nebraska's conservation heritage. J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska newspaper editor and politician, founded Arbor Day in Nebraska City on April 10, 1872. Morton believed Nebraska's treeless prairies needed trees for windbreaks, fuel, and beauty. The first Arbor Day saw Nebraskans plant over one million trees, many of them cottonwoods along streams and as windbreaks around homesteads. This tree-planting tradition transformed Nebraska from a nearly treeless prairie to a state with established forests and shelterbelts. Morton's Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City featured extensive plantings including cottonwoods. The cottonwood designation honored both the tree that sustained pioneers and Morton's vision of a tree-planted Nebraska. The species represents Nebraska's transformation from prairie wilderness to agricultural landscape while maintaining the river groves that gave pioneers their first Nebraska shade.

Nebraska's state flower is the Goldenrod (Solidago), designated in 1895. The state adopted its floral symbol 77 years before choosing the cottonwood. Both symbols represent Nebraska's native prairie landscape. The goldenrod blooms yellow in late summer across Nebraska's grasslands and roadsides, while cottonwood groves line rivers cutting through the prairies. Cottonwoods leaf out in spring as goldenrod begins its growth cycle. Together these symbols capture Nebraska's landscape - the prairie flower and the riverside tree that gave pioneers their only shade. Both species are tough, drought-tolerant natives suited to Nebraska's challenging climate.

The leaf shape provides instant identification. Look for triangular leaves with a broad base tapering to a pointed tip, or heart-shaped leaves. The leaves measure three to six inches long with coarsely rounded teeth along the edges. The leaf attaches to a distinctive flattened stem or petiole that allows the leaf to twist and flutter. This flattened petiole makes cottonwood leaves dance and rustle in wind, creating the characteristic sound of cottonwood groves. The leaves turn bright yellow in fall, lighting up Nebraska river valleys with golden color.

The bark changes dramatically with age. Young cottonwoods show smooth greenish-gray to yellowish bark. As trees mature, the bark develops deep vertical furrows separated by flat-topped ridges. The ridges often form diamond-shaped patterns. Very old trees have thick, deeply furrowed gray bark that can measure several inches deep. The bark pattern resembles that of eastern black walnut but with lighter gray color. Twigs are yellowish-brown and somewhat stout with pointed reddish-brown buds.

The overall form shows a massive trunk dividing into several large ascending branches. Young cottonwoods grow in a pyramidal Christmas tree shape. Mature trees develop broad, open crowns spreading 40 to 60 feet wide. The crown appears somewhat ragged and irregular rather than dense and symmetrical. In spring before leaves emerge, look for hanging catkins on male trees releasing yellow pollen, or female trees with green catkins that will become seed capsules. By late May and June, female trees release clouds of white cottony seeds that drift through Nebraska on warm breezes, accumulating in corners and along fences.

Cottonwood represents Nebraska's pioneer heritage and the transformation from treeless prairie to a tree-planted state. The tree symbolizes refuge and water in an arid landscape - for pioneers, cottonwood groves meant survival. The species embodies Nebraska's Arbor Day legacy and J. Sterling Morton's vision of bringing trees to the prairies. For many Nebraskans, the rustle of cottonwood leaves evokes childhood memories along Nebraska rivers. The tree's rapid growth represents Nebraska's own quick development from frontier to agricultural powerhouse. Modern efforts to protect cottonwood groves along Nebraska rivers reflect the state's commitment to maintaining the natural features that define its landscape and sustained its earliest settlers.