Tree--What Kind? *UPDATED W/PICS*

[Rare Feathers]

When my husband & I moved into our house in 2005, there were two trees already planted on our property. Both were about 10 feet tall and they are deciduous trees. Since 2005, they have grown probably close to 30 feet tall. They survive the harsh -0 temps of the winter & the first two summers, we barely watered them & they did just fine. They are both in full-sun. Anyway, the leaves are very big, wide & green. The bark is pretty thin/easily hurt because the cats have shredded the trunks. We ended up putting sheep wire around the bases to protect them.

Anyway, Ive tried the Arbor Day website, various internet searches, etc and no matches. Id like to know what they are because I want to plant them all over our 10 acres because they are doing so wellbut I cant figure out what type they are. My dad thinks Cottonwoods because they do have a white fluffy stuff that comes off of them, but they do not match any cotton woods Ive seen on the internet. The branches do almost weep, but theyre not willows or birches.

Okay, I got pics. I measured the leaves & they are 6.5" long.

 

[poppycat]

A picture would be lovely. A close up of one of the leaves would be even better.

 

[rockytopsis]

Yes, a picture would help greatly.

 

[Rare Feathers]

It's the tree in the left side of this pic...I was taking photos of the forest fire behind our house...

the other one is in the background...just behind the dog's head.

This pic was taken in 2006, and the tree is considerably larger now...(please excuse the round pen construction mess)

It's the tree in the right side of the photo...geez, I would have thought that out of 1,000s of pics, I'd have ONE good one of the tree!

 

[Rare Feathers]

A picture would be lovely. A close up of one of the leaves would be even better.

Maybe I'll see if I can get some pics of the trunk/leaves tonight & post them tomorrow. I could have sworn I'd have better pics of those trees, somewhere!

 

[Rare Feathers]

Yes, a picture would help greatly.

Well, I tried...but they are all in the background shots. The leaves are HUGE...probably close to 6" long and 4" wide.

 

[rockytopsis]

Just a suggestion, when you take the pictures have something beside it that we could compare the leaves with.

 

[beefy]

i think they are cottonwood trees.

 

[Rare Feathers]

Just a suggestion, when you take the pictures have something beside it that we could compare the leaves with.

Okay...

 

[Rare Feathers]

i think they are cottonwood trees.

That's what my dad says because they do have white stuff that looks almost like chicken down that comes off of them once a year...but I've been unable to find anything about cottonwoods growing that well, or that fast or even for sale in this area? Do they have another name? Are there hybrid varieties?