What Are Trash Trees? Trash trees are those trees that, for one reason or another, have been given a bad name in the plant community at large. Planting them is a garden taboo and, at times, makes you feel like a villain. There is no single set of rules for what makes a tree a trash tree.

Where do cottonwoods grow?

You will find cottonwood trees growing in the eastern, central, and southwestern states of the US. Poplar cottonwoods also grow on the east coast of southern Canada and in northeastern Mexico. These hardwood trees are also found in deciduous forests. Cottonwoods have an impressive growth rate and grow about 3 ft.

What is a garbage tree?

Some are quick to call a tree trash if it has just one of those characteristics: It sheds yucky fruit or mounds of leaves. It emits a foul odor. It’s bred to grow so fast it develops a weak-wood structure and therefore lives only a short life.