Eastern Cottonwood - Populus deltoides
Every year during late May, the cottonwood trees spread their seeds through the wind. This process can be so intense that it appears to be snowing, and piles of fluffy, white seeds pile up everywhere!
The release of the fluffy cotton seeds are a sign that pollination is over. Supposedly, this tree and its seeds are a very mild allergen and once pollination has occured, the threat of an allergic reaction has passed. I can attest that this is totally untrue because I'm allergic to this tree and breathing in the fluff is no fun.
I didn't see the actual tree, and since I'm allergic, I only dared to snap a few shots of the white fluff before directing my hike elsewhere.
''Populus deltoides'', the eastern cottonwood, is a cottonwood poplar native to North America, growing throughout the eastern, central, and southwestern United States, the southernmost part of eastern Canada, and northeastern Mexico. It is a dicot.
