Photos/History: Fremont Cottonwood (Populis Fremontii)

Populus fremontii, commonly known as Frémont's Cottonwood, is a cottonwood native to California, the Southwestern United States and North-Central Mexico.The tree was named after 19th-century American explorer and pathfinder John C. Frémont.

This tree is tough and easy to grow, reaching up to 100 feet tall and 35 feet wide when well-watered. It can grow 10–20 feet in a single year. Fremont cottonwood  is a deciduous tree related to willows, characterized by nearly triangular leaves and small seeds carried on the wind in cottony masses. It may be best known for those masses.

I bought this sapling at the California Botanic Garden in Claremont, for  $12.00,  in late March (2025). I don't have early photos, but he was basically just a "stick in the dirt".. he had buds, but no leaves. It didn't take long for him to start leafing-out, once I repotted him.

 Unpruned, this tree would probably be twice as tall as he is now, but with frequent pruning, I've been able to keep him from growing too leggy & have reduced the size of the leaves through constant pruning of all mature leaves..now he is voluntarily reducing the size of his leaves.

 Decided it was time to move the Cottonwood to a tray, but I was surprised at how large the rootball had become, in light of the minimal trunk & somewhat sparse foliage. Removed quite a lot of the old potting medium, removed a large exposed root that didn't look like it served any purpose and trimmed the feeder roots..mounded the soil so that the graft (at the base of the trunk) is no longer exposed. I don't think he will get much taller, due to removing the grow tip months ago, but I have hopes the trunk will start filling out. (if he survives the repot...)

Nov. 23

I usually go out on the patio early in the morning & take, at least, a quick look at each tree & a once-over of the whole retinue...many times, what I see dictates that days activities. A quick look at "the Fremont" revealed a black-spotted leaf, similar to the appearance of the leaves on the Japanese Maple..my first thoughts were about whether or not there was a fungus of some sort that had been introduced into the collection. I pruned the infected leaf. I'll keep a close eye on him for the next couple of days.

Nov. 26 - Update

Good News!.a close look this morning revealed no blackened or wilted-looking leaves..hopefully, we've nipped the infection or fungus that was causing the problem, in the bud..watered/Fed (UB)

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