Different name, same thing

[Fox Mike]

Looking at reuben_j_cogburn's post in the 'gallery' I realized that people call the same tree by different names in different places. A case in point was the photo of the downed 'cottonwood' with the revolver lying on it. That is what I call a 'poplar' tree. So wondering if I was calling it the wrong name I did a little research. Seems that the 'cottonwood' IS a 'poplar'.

 

[GunnyGene]

Looking at reuben_j_cogburn's post in the 'gallery' I realized that people call the same tree by different names in different places. A case in point was the photo of the downed 'cottonwood' with the revolver lying on it. That is what I call a 'poplar' tree. So wondering if I was calling it the wrong name I did a little research. Seems that the 'cottonwood' IS a 'poplar'.

It's the same with other plant species, trees in particular are often called by local common names. The only way to be sure of what it is, is to reference it's scientific name, which is required if you are importing most exotic woods per the CITES law and various national and international laws. Also some variations of a species are indistinguishable without a lab test. - Hickory and Pecan wood is one such, and both belong to the Walnut family. Go figger. :wink:

For example here's the deal with Cottonwood and Poplar :shock: :

A note on the confusion among the names "cottonwood" / "poplar" / "tulip poplar" / "yellow poplar" / "American tulip"

When people in the USA say "poplar" they PROBABLY mean "tulip poplar" / "yellow poplar" which is NOT actually poplar at all even though the common name designates it as poplar. True poplar (what should, to avoid confusion, be called cottonwood) is Populus spp. of the family Salicaceae) but some people DO call cottonwood by the name "poplar" despite the confusion so it is sometimes hard to tell which one a person is talking about, especially since some people are not aware of the confusion.

"Tulip poplar", "yellow poplar", and "American tulip" are all names for Liriodendron tulipifera of the family Magnoliaceae. "yellow poplar" and "tulip poplar" are most the most commonly used names for Liriodendron tulipifera in the USA, AFTER the use of "poplar" itself, which is the MOST common designation for Liriodendron tulipifera even though, strictly speaking, that's the wrong designation. On this site, I list Liriodendron tulipifera as "poplar", following common useage, and I list the ACTUAL poplar as "cottonwood"

I personally think that the most logical thing to do would be to call Populus spp. "poplar" and Liriodendron tulipifera "tulip/tulipwood" (or "American tulip" to avoid confusion with Brazilian tulipwood) but as always, I don't get to make the rules, I just try to report on reality as accurately as I can.

To add to the confusion, one of the USA common names for Liriodendron tulipifera is "basswood" but the name "basswood" in the USA more commonly refers to Tilia spp. (which is also called "lime" and "lindon"). FURTHER, another USA common name for Liriodendron tulipifera is canary/canarywood, but those names more often refer, in the USA, to the South American wood Centrolobium spp.). Then just to make it all more interesting, many of the Populus species that are the wood normally called "aspen" ALL also have the names poplar and/or cottonwood or both as part of one or more of their other common names.

I COULD continue this trail of confusion until you felt that your eyeballs had been twisted into a knot, but I will spare you. This is the joy of common wood names.

See this for an extensive listing: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/

 

[WAYNO]

Wow. This is now confusing.

This part of Oregon, near the Willamette River could be called the cottonwood belt. Ask anyone with allergies and they'll insist it's true.

But out in the homestead areas elsewhere in the state, you'll see rows of Poplar as a wind break. And they are not the same tree as what we call cottonwood.

So now I don't know what they are. :?

 

[Chief 101]

They are cousins Wayno, likely the Cottonwoods came across the border illegally. I know a couple of saddle smiths that use the Cottonwood tree to make their own trees...now that can be confusing

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

I wonder how many got the saddle smith reference... :-)
Back in Minnesota we'd call the poplars, popels... not sure why we dropped the lar part.. just lazy I guess...
The cotton woods all grow near water, and grow really large, while the more familiar poplars, with the smooth green bark, grow on higher drier ground.
There are also aspen here, which I believe are in the same family as poplars, as their leaves and bark structure are very similar.
I'm no tree expert... I'm pretty much only interested in birch, and spruce... because it cooks my food and keeps me warm....

 

[Bob Wright]

Cottonwood trees grow plentifully along the banks of the Mississippi River. The wood is useless for making anything, too soft for cutting with ordinary tools, no strength to it. Purely an ornamental tree grown for its pollen output.


Bob Wright

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

Here, many of the local small saw mills make boards out of it... I don't have much use for the stuff, but I did buy some 8 foot,, 12 inch wide stuff to make a wall mounted fold down bed for the small cabin...

 

[Colonialgirl]

The trees in my book are : Pecan, Walnut, Peach, Cherry, Apricot, Apple, Persimmon, Oak, Pine and Weeping Willow; OOPS almost forgot Palm, and Coconut.
Everything else is just "TREES".

 

[GunnyGene]

The trees in my book are : Pecan, Walnut, Peach, Cherry, Apricot, Apple, Persimmon, Oak, Pine and Weeping Willow; OOPS almost forgot Palm, and Coconut.
Everything else is just "TREES".

What, no Cypress or Box Elder? :lol: And which varieties of the ones on your list? Lot's of different oaks, for example. :wink:

 

[arfmel]

Cottonwood trees grow plentifully along the banks of the Mississippi River. The wood is useless for making anything, too soft for cutting with ordinary tools, no strength to it. Purely an ornamental tree grown for its pollen output.


Bob Wright

Cottonwood trees smell good after a rain storm, so they have that going for them, which is nice.

 

[eveled]

My dad was a wood Carver,. He liked Bass wood to carve with. When I bought my house, I tried to buy a Basswood tree, only to find out Basswood comes from a linden tree. The linden tree has massive heart shaped leaves. I could never find one to plant. After my dad died, I realized a weed tree that was growing along my fence line was a linden tree!

It's the only one around.

 

[toysoldier]

Another tree with many names is the Osage Orange, Maclura pomifera, also known as hedge, hedgeapple, bois d'arc, and bow wood. Its wood is virtually identical to mulberry, which is logical as they are closely related species.

The Eastern Cottonwood, Populus deltoides, is very common in central Kansas, reaching great height and girth. It sheds branches readily in high wind. Its soft, light wood makes poor firewood, is too weak for building anything, and warps severely when seasoned. In springtime, the cotton can accumulate like snow and clog vehicle radiators.

 

[Rick Courtright]

OOPS almost forgot Palm, and Coconut.
Everything else is just "TREES".

Hi,

Watched a show years ago about trees, and what we think are trees. And what we think is grass: they talked about the world's fastest growing grass (bamboo) and the world's tallest grass (one of the palms--all palms are technically grasses according to that show.)

I've found a piece of funny looking rock out in the desert, which appeared possibly to be petrified wood. But it didn't look like any of the pieces we had around the house as a kid, souvenirs of the Petrified Forest in AZ. Some friends who have a rock business confirmed it was petrified wood, and most likely a palm. Hmmm...

Rick C

 

[Mus408]

Down here another name for a Magnolia is the " Southern Leaf Dumper"

 

[Colonialgirl]

Down here another name for a Magnolia is the " Southern Leaf Dumper"

DO NOT forget the :
"SPANISH MOSS"

 

[blume357]

I've often wondered about the 'Cottonwood Tree' when it is mentioned in wester books and on old time X-m radio in the westerns...

 

[Chief 101]

Lots of Cottonwoods around here, I made my desktop from the wood of a city dwelling Cottonwood...not being on the river it may have grown slower and a little more solid. I also cured some big blocks of the stuff for a couple of saddle makers as they used it to make 'trees'(the innards of a saddle), covered with untanned leather. Cottonwood has interlocking grain like Elm and it takes the short fat wood screws they use to fasten the leather on with...without splitting. This is my Cottonwood experience. If I clear my desk someday maybe I can take a pic...