Fremont cottonwood is a fast-growing tree, growing 50 to 60 feet tall and wide. Its bark is smooth and whitish when young, becoming brown and deeply furrowed in age. Females produce fuzzy, white cotton. Leaves are green, turning a brilliant yellow in the fall. This is a big tree, well suited to natural areas, parks, and riparian areas. Great wildlife value. A Utah native. There are male clones available that do not have cotton; some are planted at the Day-Riverside Library near the driveway entrance.
Grow in well-drained, alluvial, sandy to sandy-clay loams with varying degrees of organic matter, clay, or other fine soil and rock deposits.
Fremont cottonwood is found mostly along low elevation (seldom above 6,000 feet) stream channels that are constantly moist. It may also be scattered in moist valley bottoms. It is shade intolerant.