2 yr old Northwest poplar and spruce trees. The poplar protect the young spruce. The spruce allow the poplar to spread out more.
This not a skyfest cottonwood. It's just a cottonwood. Skyfest is noted for being more upright.
Poplars for shade
Northwest Poplar & Skyfest Cottonwood
These two trees get quite tall -- 80-90 feet under good contions -- and quite broad, 35 to 60 feet. This is one reason I don't recommend them for the average postage stamp city lot.
This is another wild cottonwood, but it is a better match for the descriptions I have for Skyfest. (How do they KNOW how big it's going to get without watching it grow up?)
Northwest poplar in it's second summer.
This one is either 3 or 4 years old. Was watered when I planted it then ignored.
Northwest
Northwest is a standby for shelterbelts. If you want to use it in this capacity spread your trees further apart. I would suggest putting it 24-30 feet apart with two of shelterbelt poplars between them.
Cottonwood leaf, showing the classic delta shape with rough teeth.
Skyfest Cottonwood
Skyfest is new to me. (2015) My largest is a terrifying 5 feet tall in it's second year. AND I can't find my pics!
Populus deltoides, the plains cottonwood is a FAST growing tree. There are records of 25 years of 1" diameter and 5 foot height growth. (Probably not in Alberta...) But 3-4 feet is not unusual even in our climate. Leaves are triangular 3-4 inches on a side (hence the 'deltoides' name) and are coarsely toothed.
Skyfest was chosen for being fluffless, having a more upright habit of growth and being very disease resistant.
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