This is the remains of a huge cottonwood tree (it might be Populus fremontii) that was in a neighbor's yard. Cottonwood trees grow fast and die hard. I counted only 64 rings in this huge tree that filled up an entire lawn.
Although they grow in desert regions, cottonwood trees draw huge amounts of water. They often consume 200 gallons of water a day.
The trees grow fast and they often shed heavy limbs during storms. Many lives have been taken through the years by people who foolishly sought shelter under a cottonwood during a windstorm.
The owner of the house decided to cut down the tree because it dropped a huge limb on his fence.
The wood of the tree is notoriously soft and it stinks when burned. The home owner paid $3700 for the tree removal and the wood was hauled off to the dump.
Watching trees being cut down makes me sad. I especially dislike when the wood is wasted. However, this tree was dangerous. The lifespan of a cottonwood is usually about 80 years, then they fall over and take out what ever was growing beneath them.
I love the adage: Plant a tree and save the world. This tree consumed a ton of water. The removal of the tree released more carbon than the tree sequestered. If we want to save the world by planting trees, we need to think about the trees we plant. Of course, this tree probably planted itself.
