The eastern cottonwood is a rapidly growing and widespread deciduous tree of the eastern and Midwestern United States.

However, Maine's Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry also includes Populus alba on its Invasive Plant Do Not Sell List. This official document plainly states that it is illegal ...

Even planting just one keystone plant in the yard or in a container ... Native Cottonwood (Populus): Best in drier regions. __ Native cherries (Prunus): Very important nationwide.