The sapwood of yellow-poplar is quite wide in second growth trees and is pale, creamy white. Boards of all sapwood are common, giving the wood the whitewood name. Heartwood has more character with lots of color and significant color variation from tree to tree. Pale green, yellow-green, canary yellow, brown and tan are common. Most of the green and yellow color fades with time or exposure to the sun to become shades of tan or brown.
Growth rings are usually well defined by light colored wood cells.
The wood is classified as diffuse-porous with an abundance of small pores, some solitary but mostly in radial strings or small clusters. Rays are distinct with a hand lens and are noded at the growth rings. Wood of yellow-poplar is light, soft, finely textured with uniform straight grain, brittle and not very strong. It dries quickly with little warp or check and is quite stable in service. It has no taste or odor.