Twigs are stout with a large, pointed, sticky, green terminal bud. Bark is gray-brown and smooth on young trees, and deeply grooved and ridged on older trees.
Fruit is borne on female trees and the cottony seeds released from brown capsules resemble cotton.
Intolerant of shade. Click on photo to enlarge. All text and photographs are intended for educational purposes only and are not for commercial use in any form. 1999, all rights reserved. Photographs by Mike Hogan.