How to Identify Cottonwood (Eastern) Wood (Populus deltoides)

Heartwood a light brown; sapwood pale yellow to nearly white, not clearly demarcated, blending gradually into the heartwood. Grain generally straight to slightly irregular or interlocked; uniform medium texture with low natural luster. End grain: Diffuse porous; pores solitary and in radial multiples, medium, in no specific arrangement, moderately numerous to numerous; parenchyma marginal; rays narrow, normal to close spacing.

Janka hardness 430 lbf (side hardness: the force needed to embed a 0.444-inch steel ball to half its diameter). Specific gravity 0.4 at 12% moisture content, so a cubic foot weighs roughly 25 lb. Weight in the hand is one of the quickest checks: compare a piece of known size against a board you already know.

Cottonwood and aspen are both pale, low-density Populus species with nearly identical color and diffuse-porous endgrain; cottonwood's grain leans slightly irregular/interlocked and it has a sour green odor, while aspen's grain is straight and it has no characteristic odor. The Basswood page has its own details.

Has a sour odor when green, which disappears once the wood is dry.

Boxes/crates, veneer, plywood, and various utility purposes.

Easy to work with hand and machine tools, though sharp cutters are needed to avoid fuzzy surfaces; responds poorly to steam bending, poor nail-holding, tends to warp/distort during drying; glues and finishes well.

Photograph a freshly cut or sanded face in daylight, not a finished or stained surface, since stain hides color and finish flattens grain. Add a close-up of the end grain: cut a clean end, wet it or sand it to 220, and shoot from straight on; pore pattern and rays are the most reliable marks. Put a ruler in frame. The app suggests the likely species; confirm with the end grain and weight.