Part of aspen/cottonwood/poplar  genus Populus in willow  family Salicaceae.

If the mid-vein=narrow and buds=slightly-hairy (rather than mid-vein=​wide and buds=​sticky), some sources call this the subspecies:

Native to 🇨🇦 Canada and 🇺🇸 USA, east of the 🗻︎ Rocky Mountains.

Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)

Populus hosts caterpillars of 367 species
of butterflies and moths, in some areas.   This plant is also known to be a host for (in areas where invasive) 🐝︎ spotted lanternfly (SLF)  Lycorma delicatula.

Can form a hybrid with balsam poplar  Populus balsamifera (also part of the aspen/cottonwood/poplar  genus Populus ), forming balm of Gilead  Populus × jackii.   The hybrid occurs occasionally in nature.

Often grows in clonal colonies [1] —look around for other stems!

Learn more about eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides

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