Cottonwoods have a tendency to develop cavities that compartmentalize poorly, and their limbs seem almost predisposed to failure.
Against the Odds Preserving a Cottonwood in Clayton By Ryfe Greenwood
Cottonwoods can be a difficult species to work with. Their wood is often described as little more than structural pulp. They have a tendency to develop cavities that compartmentalize poorly, and their limbs seem almost predisposed to failure. As a re- sult, cottonwoods are frequently judged by their defect profile rather than their potential, especially when they occupy sites where people or property are at risk. So, when it came to preserving the mature cotton- wood that stood in a St. Louis suburb, it was no sur- prise that more than 80 percent of the tree services that submitted proposals recommended removal. Saving the tree required a different approach — one rooted in risk management rather than risk avoid- ance. It meant embracing the coarse beauty of an aging cottonwood and implementing a preservation plan that combined both mechanical and chemical interventions. The strategy was straightforward: first, perform a full suite of ANSI A300-backed pruning operations; second, follow the pruning with a plant health care program designed to im- prove soil conditions, restore nutrient availability,
and encourage root development.
The goal was not to make the tree immortal. The goal was to make it perform better. REDUCING COMPETITION Two adolescent elm trees were growing directly within the cottonwood’s critical root zone, nearly touching its trunk. Above ground, their canopies threatened to create future structural conflicts. Below ground, they functioned as highly effective competitors for water and nutrients.
This competition mattered.
The property was unirrigated, and St. Louis sum- mers routinely bring multiple periods of drought within a single growing season. Under those con- ditions, every gallon of water and every available nutrient becomes increasingly valuable. Removing the elms represented the first major decision in the preservation plan and immediately reduced compe- tition for resources within the root zone.
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