Kansas State Tree

Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 3 to 6 inches long, triangular (deltoid) in shape with a crenate/serrate margin. The petiole is flattened and glands are present at the top of the petiole.

Flower: Dioecious, male and female as pendulous catkins, appearing before the leaves.

Fruit: Cottony seeds, 1/4 inch long borne in a dehiscent capsule. Maturing over summer.

Twig: Stout, somewhat angled and yellowish. Buds are 3/4 inch long, covered with several brown, resinous scales. Has a bitter aspirin taste.

Bark: Smooth, gray to yellow-green when young. Later turning gray with thick ridges and deep furrows.

Form: A large tree with a clear bole and an open spreading crown resulting in a somewhat vase-shaped form.