Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
Cottonwood is an important element of the ecosystem and has a high value to wildlife. As a Keystone plant, Eastern Cottonwood and similar species are the host plants to the Viceroy, Red-Spotted Purple, Mourning Cloak, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and 362 other butterfly and moth caterpillars in our area (nwf.org)! They are an important food source for many other insect species as well. It is also beneficial for the threatened Canadian giant moth (mnfi.anr.msu.edu/)
Photo Credit: Andrey harkikh (1), John Blair (2-5)
Cottonwood is an important element of the ecosystem and has a high value to wildlife. As a Keystone plant, Eastern Cottonwood and similar species are the host plants to the Viceroy, Red-Spotted Purple, Mourning Cloak, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and 362 other butterfly and moth caterpillars in our area (nwf.org)! They are an important food source for many other insect species as well. It is also beneficial for the threatened Canadian giant moth (mnfi.anr.msu.edu/)
Photo Credit: Andrey harkikh (1), John Blair (2-5)
Cottonwood is an important element of the ecosystem and has a high value to wildlife. As a Keystone plant, Eastern Cottonwood and similar species are the host plants to the Viceroy, Red-Spotted Purple, Mourning Cloak, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and 362 other butterfly and moth caterpillars in our area (nwf.org)! They are an important food source for many other insect species as well. It is also beneficial for the threatened Canadian giant moth (mnfi.anr.msu.edu/)
Photo Credit: Andrey harkikh (1), John Blair (2-5)
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-wet, Medium
Height: 75-100 feet
Plant Spacing: 50-75 feet
Bloom Time: April-June
Bloom Color: White
Advantages: Caterpillar Favorite
Host Plant: Mourning Cloak, Red-spotted Purple, Viceroy, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and 362 other species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (nwf.org)
Beneficial for Endangered or Threatened Species: Canadian giant moth (Andropolia contacta) (mnfi.anr.msu.edu/)
