How to get rid of a Cottonwood tree?

Cottonwood or Populus Deltoides belong to the poplar family and is a North American Native species. The tree blooms during early spring. It produces numerous small seeds in early summer which are attached with long cotton-like strands. The Cottonwood tree is considered to be a fast-growing species that can get invasive if the growth is not under control.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways of removing cottonwood trees as well as killing their root systems.

How to kill Cottonwood trees?

When it comes to killing Populus Deltoids, you have to go for methods that are fast, easy to use, and efficient.

Some of the most popular tree-killing methods are:

• Foliar Spray
• Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with Herbicides
• Gridling or ring barking
• Basal Bark treatment
• Injecting the tree with killing chemicals
• Cut surface treatment

Each one of the following methods has its own pros and cons and a big part of the choice simply depends on your preference. To learn more about these methods, make sure to go through this article. 

One thing to keep in mind is that other than No.2, all of the above methods will only end up killing the tree and its root system, you will still need to dispose of trees once dead.

The best way to kill a small Cottonwood tree

Populus Deltoids only stay ‘small’ for a couple of years and chances are that most of the trees you encounter are going to be pretty big. Nevertheless, for killing a smaller Populus Deltoid, you should ideally go for the uprooting or Foliar Spray method.

1. Make sure there is no wind during this as the herbicide can get carried away.
2. Use an effective herbicide like Roundup, Ortho or Triclopyr. (recommended products here)
3. Spray the leaves of the tree with the herbicide.
4. The herbicide will be absorbed by the leaves and transported across the tree, killing it within few months.
5. To increse the chances of killing the tree, repeat the spraying process every other week for a month.

The most effective season to use this method is summer and spring as the foliage cover is high.

Alternatively, If you have the tools, you can simply cut the tree down and treat the cambium layer of the stump with a herbicide.

The herbicide stump treatment will kill the root system, making sure that the tree does not spruce in the next spring.

The best way to kill a big Cottonwood tree

A fully grown Populus Deltoid grown up to 160-180 feet tall. This makes methods such as Foliar spray, Basal Bark treatment and simply cutting the tree down near impossible.

Another factor to keep in mind is the seeds, which are produced in the thousands. These seeds, because of their cotton strands can travel large distances and before you know it, Populus Deltoids can multiply in numbers.

You have to look for a method which is not only cost-effective but also fast. Ideally for a tree this big you should go for a combination of tree-killing methods. Ideally Girdling with Cut Surface treatment.

Start with Girdling

Ringbarking would be the easiest and the most efficient method for killing a large Populus Deltoid as it will stop the nutrient flow from the roots to the stems and the leaves.

1. You will need to a hatchet and a chainsaw for this method.
2. Remove a ring of bark around the entire tree, about 4-8 inches wide. Using a chainsaw, make two cuts into the bark, around the entire circumfence of the tree, 4-8 inches apart.
3. Using a hatchect, remove the rig of bark between the two cuts.
4. Spray herbicide along the exposed bark.

Read more on how the removal of bark affects trees here.

Procees with Cut Surface Treatment

Once you are done with girdling, you can use Cut surface treatment as a backup method to speed up the process.

1. Using an Axe, make deep gashes into the bark of the tree. Make sure you penetrate through the bark or the method will not work.
2. Within 10 minutes of making the gashes, spray or pour herbicide into the cuts.
3. Once the herbicide is absorbed by the tree, apply more herbicide.

With a combination of both of these methods, not only will the nutrient flow stop, but herbicides will also get carried to the leaves and the roots.

My recommended products can be found here

What is the best time of the year to kill Populus Deltoid?

Because of the flower and seed formation, you should ideally kill the tree before the flowering season to prevent further tree growth. Start early winter as a flowering start in early spring. If the tree does not get any nutrients, it will be unable to bloom and grow seeds.

Can you kill a Cottonwood without cutting it down?

Populus Deltoids can be killed without cutting them down. The preferred methods for doing so would be ringbarking, chemical injection, or cut surface treatment.

Things to consider before removing a tree on your own

Cottonwood trees will start decomposing once they have been killed, which increases their chance of falling down. This is especially dangerous during windy weather if the tree is located near your house or near power lines.

If the tree is located far from houses, roads, and powerlines, there are not many factors to be concerned about.

Here is an article discussing how to tell if a tree is going to fall.

Hire a professional tree removal service

If you are dealing with an enormous tree that is located in a crowded area hiring a professional while dealing with Populus Deltoids makes more sense.

There are a lot of nuances getting a tree killed and cut down so it is advised to hire someone who has learned the craft for years.

Take a look at my detailed tree removal price guide here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to clean up Populus Deltoid fluff?

You can spray the tree with a fruit eliminator to get rid of the fluff. This is useful if you have to kill the tree during the fruiting season.

Conclusion

The easiest method for small trees is considered to be foliar spray and basal bark treatment while for bigger trees you should stick to combining different methods like girdling and cut surface treatment.

Recommended reading:

• How to kill a Fir