Sticky poplar pods, spiky burrs - how do I keep my yard pet-friendly? - Ask Extension
We love spring, but every year we're reminded that with the new growth outdoors come the seed distributors that get stuck--REALLY STUCK--in our pup's ...
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Sticky poplar pods, spiky burrs - how do I keep my yard pet-friendly? #790250
Asked May 11, 2022, 12:52 PM EDT
We love spring, but every year we're reminded that with the new growth outdoors come the seed distributors that get stuck--REALLY STUCK--in our pup's fur. I've just spent half my morning cutting poplar/cottonwood pods and sap out of his curls, and I know the burrs will be next. It seems impossible to rake up these overachieving seeds, given their knack for sticking where they land. Is there any way we can wash them out of the grass when they fall?
Kent County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello
There is no easy way to wash the cottonwood fluff out of the grass when they fall.
You can reduce cottonwood fluff by making a cottonwood tree seedless through annual treatment with an ethephon-based herbicide. These herbicides are growth-inhibiting, and they will prevent the seeds from forming. Getting a head start on treating your cottonwood tree with a growth hormone early in the spring is best. If you’ve noticed a young cottonwood tree on your property without seeds, it may take
years for it to mature.
The floating cottonwood fluff is a signature of the cottonwood tree. The parachute-like white fluff from trees is just fruit capsules with cottonwood tree seeds. Cottonwood trees normally shed their leaves in fall when the temperature drops below 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Fluff can annoyingly cover your entire yard and driveway for up to two whole weeks after it begins to detach from the tree. If your house is near
cottonwood trees, fluff will likely cover your driveway, lawn, and just about anything else that’s on the ground once the tree begins to shed its seeds. The
overwhelming amount of seeds can be truly invasive, and it can look like a
snowstorm has hit you. The excess seeds can contribute to allergies, causing
much discomfort. Aside from the seeds being a nuisance, they can also be a
hazard in certain circumstances since the cottonwood fluff is flammable.
An option for getting rid of cottonwood fluff is spraying the tree leaves with a fruit eliminator, which will help control the release of the seeds. The key is to apply the solution well enough to cover the leaves and branches of the tree but be careful not to overapply it. Essentially, the liquid should have a thick coating but should not cause excess dripping all over the tree and ground. Once applied, the chemical will help to greatly reduce the number of seeds that are released during its reproduction cycle. With the use of a fruit eliminator, you will notice a huge difference between your chemically treated trees and untreated trees. Cottonwood trees can grow quite large. If for any reason you are unable to spray the tree yourself, it is recommended that you hire a professional.
SNIPPER (Indole–3-butyric acid)
One application of Snipper in early spring causes premature death of developing flowers but does not affect foliage.
FRUIT ELIMINATION ( Ornamental
Use Only)
A foliar spray of FLOREL brand Ethephon will reduce or eliminate undesirable
fruit on ornamental trees and shrubs such as Apple, Crabapple, Carob, Cottonwood, Elm, Flowering pear, Horse-chestnut (Buckeye), Maple, Oak, Olive, Pine, Sour Orange, Sweetgum, and Sycamore.
Applications must be made before
the fruit is set for best results.
Call a tree service in early spring. Spraying a 40- to 80-foot-tall cottonwood tree is a job for a professional. Overspray from the herbicide will cause desirable shrubs, fruits
and vegetables to drop blossoms.
Monitor the cottonwood tree to
ensure that the tree service sprays it with an ethephon herbicide such as
Florel while it is in bloom. Ethephon eliminates the blossoms before the cotton
and seeds develop.
The female cottonwood produces the cotton.
Hope this helps!!
