Wood Species Guide
Eastern Cottonwood
Populus deltoides
Also called: Cottonwood, Eastern Poplar, Carolina Poplar, Necklace Poplar, Southern Cottonwood
About the name “Eastern Cottonwood”
Cottonwood is a true poplar (Populus). The lumber sold in the US as "poplar" is yellow poplar (Liriodendron), a different tree on our Poplar page. Black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) from the West is a separate, similar species.
What Eastern Cottonwood looks like
Pale grayish white to light tan sapwood, with a light brown heartwood that is sometimes streaked. Freshly cut wood can smell sour.
Grain and texture
Straight to slightly interlocked grain with a medium texture.
Working Eastern Cottonwood: planing, cutting and gluing
Soft and light but woolly, so it fuzzes badly unless tools are very sharp. It warps and shrinks a lot while drying. It glues and nails well without splitting.
Finishing Eastern Cottonwood: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Paint is the usual finish. Stain tends to blotch and raise fuzz, so use a conditioner or sealer first. Seal well before epoxy; the soft fibers trap air.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Not durable and susceptible to insects. Movement is high, and green wood warps. In Florida, keep it indoors and dry it slowly under weight.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Cottonwood trees grow huge along rivers, and big trunks make wide but soft and unstable slabs. The wood is mostly used for pallets and crates, while burls and bark are favorites of carvers. Unless you have a sentimental tree, we would steer you to a harder slab wood for a table. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Eastern Cottonwood
Pallets and crates, boxes, plywood core, pulp, carving (especially bark and burls) and utility lumber.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Rated Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Safety and toxicity
- No common reactions reported
Few reports. Nothing beyond ordinary wood dust irritation is documented.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + mask when sanding
- Food contact
- Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
No specific reactions have been reported beyond the normal effects of wood dust. Use dust collection and a mask when sanding.
Eastern Cottonwood in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Eastern Cottonwood listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
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