Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to Alberta and Wyoming.
Habitat: Streambanks, riparian zones, river corridors, and moist woods, from sea level to middle elevations in the mountains.
Flowers: April-June
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Rough-barked, dioecious tree up to 50 m. tall; buds large, the scales very resinous, glabrous.
Leaves alternate, the blades fragrant, strongly resinous, the lower side distinctly paler than the upper, variable in shape, 5-15 cm. long and 3-9 cm. wide, broadest below the middle, pointed at the tip and usually rounded or truncate at the base, the surfaces usually glabrous; petioles terete, about half as long as the blade.
Catkins drooping; the bracts subtending the flowers in the catkins lacerate-fringed; staminate catkins elongating to 2-3 cm, then deciduous; pistillate catkins at maturity 8-20 cm. long; stigmas 2, broadly dilated.
Capsules rotund-ovate, 5-8 mm. long, sub-sessile.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Populus trichocarpa in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Populus trichocarpa checklist entry
OregonFlora: Populus trichocarpa information
E-Flora BC: Populus trichocarpa atlas page
CalPhotos: Populus trichocarpa photos