Cottonwood Season: More Than Just Fluff | Benefits of Cottonwood Trees

The Fluff We Love to Hate

We all know the time of year when the fluff begins to float through the air. Cottonwood season. For some, it brings itchy eyes and allergy meds. These fast-growing trees are often dismissed as messy, bothersome, and downright annoying. But very few people know the value they bring to the ecosystem—and it's time we changed that.

A Powerhouse for Pollinators

Benefits of Cottonwood Trees - Eastern cottonwoods are keystone species—trees that support a web of life around them. According to the National Wildlife Federation, they host over 360 species of butterfly and moth caterpillars, including some real stunners: the Viceroy (a Monarch lookalike Limenitis archippus), Mourning Cloak(Nymphalis antiopa), Red-Spotted Purple(Limenitis arthemis), and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail(Papilio glaucus). They even help sustain the threatened Canadian Giant Silkmoth(Hyalophora columbia).

These caterpillars form the foundation of the food web, feeding birds and other wildlife. I’ve seen both Viceroys and Mourning Cloaks right in our yard—small wonders made possible by the cottonwoods growing nearby.

Viceroy Butterfly

Viceroy butterfly in our yard – often mistaken for a Monarch, but slightly smaller with a telltale black line across its hindwing.

Mourning Cloak Butterfly

Mourning Cloak – one of the earliest butterflies to appear in spring, thanks in part to trees like the cottonwood.

Wildlife Habitat, Right Outside Your Window

Cottonwoods do more than support butterflies—they’re vital to the whole neighborhood. Birds like the American robin use cottonwood fluff to line their nests, wrapping their young in nature’s softness. Insects feed on the leaves, birds feed on the insects, and the cycle continues. These trees are the backbone of a thriving, interconnected ecosystem.

A Tree with Healing Properties* | Benefits of Cottonwood Trees

Beyond their ecological value, cottonwoods offer benefits to us, too. Their buds contain natural anti-inflammatory compounds, similar to aspirin, and have long been used in herbal remedies for pain and swelling. These native trees are nature’s medicine chest—and they grow right in our own communities.

So next time you see fluff in the air, don’t be annoyed. Be inspired. Cottonwoods are doing important work. And by protecting them—or even planting one—you’re giving a gift to the pollinators, the birds, and the generations that follow.

Let’s start seeing these gentle giants for what they truly are: a blessing in disguise.

*Please note: do not forage or use wild plants medicinally unless you are properly trained to identify them and understand their uses. This information is shared for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The author assumes no liability for the use or misuse of plant-based remedies.