Vegetation Management and Maintenance Plan - Watsonville ...

BLACK COTTONWOOD
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa .
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES This deciduous tree forms a broad
crown of spreading branches. The leaves are almost triangular in
shape, 2-4 inches long, glossy green above and whitish beneath. The
tree bark form furrows when mature, yet the branches are often whitish.
The trees tremble in the wind, as they are related to quaking aspen.
Small flowers yield tufts of cottony seeds that can be seen hanging
from the branches in summer. Trees can range from 40 to 100 feet
tall.
BLOOMS Small whitish in clusters, February - April .
PREFERRED HABITAT Black cottonwood is common along
coastal streams; it grows along upper Watsonville Slough and is colonizing
the wetland restoration sites.
WILLOW
Salix ssp.
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES Several species of willow grow within
in the Watsonville Slough system. All trees are deciduous, growing 20
to 45 feet in height. The leaves tend to be linear-shaped, 3-6 inches
long, some with pointed leaves (yellow willow), others more rounded
(arroyo willow). These fast-growing trees have hanging catkins which
produce tiny seeds surrounded by cottony fluff.
BLOOMS Yellowish-white, in hanging catkins February - April.
PREFERRED HABITAT Wet areas along creeks, rivers, and along
the edge of all sloughs in the Watsonville area; the most common tree
species in the trail system area.