The cottonwood, western meadowlark and bison are the most popular symbols of the Great Plains states. Kansas and Wyoming are the only states that adopted all three.
Kansas designated the cottonwood its state tree on March 23, 1937. The legislation recognizes all cottonwoods as the state tree. However, I believe the eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) is commonly regarded as the official tree. The eastern cottonwood and plains cottonwood (which represents Wyoming) are apparently sometimes regarded as varieties of the same species, rather than different species.
One of the largest eastern hardwoods, the short-lived cottonwood is said to be North America’s fastest-growing commercial forest species. It is one of the few hardwood species that is planted and grown specifically for use as core stock in manufacturing furniture and for pulpwood.
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - Paperback
