My Favorite Cottonwood Trees...And Her

According to the National Wildlife Federation:

"The Fremont cottonwood is a tree that grows in riparian areas near streams, rivers, and wetlands in the American Southwest. It has a broad, open crown and stout, widely spread branches. When the tree is young, the bark, branches, and twigs are smooth. As the tree ages, the bark becomes deeply furrowed with cracks. Its leaves are shiny, triangular to heart-shaped, and light green with white veins. The leaves have coarse teeth on the margins and turn golden yellow in the fall. The Fremont cottonwood can grow to about 70 to 90 feet (21 to 27 meters) in height with a diameter of two to three feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters).

As one of the major overstory trees in riparian areas of the western United States, and since riparian areas are some of the most productive wildlife habitats, the Fremont cottonwood is one of the most important plant species to western wildlife. Beavers use cottonwood for making dams and lodges and eat the bark for food. Rabbits, deer, elk, and moose feed on the tree’s shoots and stems. Many insects—and the birds and other predators that feed on them—thrive in cottonwoods. Raptors often use cottonwoods for nest sites. Once cottonwoods start to die, cavities in the trees are used by over 40 animal species for nesting or roosting. Hollowed trees are used by hibernating bears and sometimes bats. The trees are also important for stabilizing stream banks, producing debris that provides habitat for fish and providing erosion control and shade."

What this doesn't tell you is that the cottonwoods are also great for having sex under. We know this quite well.