{"id":"populus-trichocarpa","license":"CC-BY-4.0","data":{"scientificName":"Populus trichocarpa","commonNames":["Western balsam poplar","Cottonwood"],"taxonRank":"species","acceptedName":"Populus trichocarpa","family":"Salicaceae","ids":{"usdaSymbol":"POBAT","gbifKey":6362904,"itisTsn":195735,"wikidataQid":"Q149382","inatTaxonId":78699},"usdaZoneMin":"1b","zoneSource":"usda-plants","states":["AK","CA","ID","MT","ND","NV","OR","UT","WA","WY"],"hardinessAssertions":[{"minimum":"1b","interpretation":"minimum-threshold","precision":"half-zone","zoneMapping":"derived-containing-band","sourceMeasurement":{"kind":"minimum-temperature","value":-53,"unit":"degrees-fahrenheit"},"applicability":"applicable","source":"usda-plants-characteristics","sourceRecordId":"POBAT","sourceTaxon":"Populus trichocarpa","taxonMatch":"source-identifier","sourcePlacement":"PlantCharacteristics record 67402, Temperature, Minimum (°F)","sourceVersion":"PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"}],"plantForm":"tree","uses":["timber"],"matureHeightFt":100,"waterNeed":"high","photo":{"file":"/images/plants/populus-trichocarpa.jpg","sourceUrl":"https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/140062836","observationUrl":"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/85155489","license":"cc-by","attribution":"(c) Hilary Rose Dawson, some rights reserved (CC BY)","fetchedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},"evidence":[{"source":"fenz-low-flammability","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"Low flammability","claims":"Low flammability classification.","plantPart":"shoot","edition":"2026","url":"https://www.checkitsalright.nz/reduce-your-risk/low-flammability-plants","accessedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"flamits","verdict":"not-rated","verdictRaw":"ignition frequency (%): 66.7","score":{"value":66.7,"scale":"FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%)"},"claims":"FLAMITS record 1478; Ignitability measurement; plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.","plantPart":"shoot","original":"Cui2020a","edition":"Dryad version 9","url":"https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h18931zr3","documentDate":"2023-12-22T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"flamits","verdict":"not-rated","verdictRaw":"maximum sample temperature (°C): 334.2","score":{"value":334.2,"scale":"FLAMITS — maximum sample temperature (°C)"},"claims":"FLAMITS record 1672; Combustibility measurement; plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.","plantPart":"shoot","original":"Cui2020a","edition":"Dryad version 9","url":"https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h18931zr3","documentDate":"2023-12-22T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"flamits","verdict":"not-rated","verdictRaw":"burning duration (s): 4.5","score":{"value":4.5,"scale":"FLAMITS — burning duration (s)"},"claims":"FLAMITS record 1866; Sustainability measurement; plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.","plantPart":"shoot","original":"Cui2020a","edition":"Dryad version 9","url":"https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h18931zr3","documentDate":"2023-12-22T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"flamits","verdict":"not-rated","verdictRaw":"estimated burnt biomass (%): 5.8","score":{"value":5.8,"scale":"FLAMITS — estimated burnt biomass (%)"},"claims":"FLAMITS record 2060; Consumability measurement; plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.","plantPart":"shoot","original":"Cui2020a","edition":"Dryad version 9","url":"https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h18931zr3","documentDate":"2023-12-22T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"}],"flammabilityClass":"fire-resistant","ratingReason":"limited-evidence","recommendation":"on-list","author":"grayson-graham","reviewStatus":"draft","lastVerified":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z","reviewNotes":"Photo auto-selected (top-voted iNat); human review pending."},"localAssessmentInputs":{"stateDistribution":["AK","CA","ID","MT","ND","NV","OR","UT","WA","WY"],"nativeStates":[],"rangeAssertions":[{"relation":"documented-occurrence","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["AK","CA","ID","MT","ND","NV","OR","UT","WA","WY"]},"provenance":"legacy-field"}],"usdaZoneMin":"1b","usdaZoneMax":null,"hardinessAssertions":[{"minimum":"1b","interpretation":"minimum-threshold","precision":"half-zone","zoneMapping":"derived-containing-band","sourceMeasurement":{"kind":"minimum-temperature","value":-53,"unit":"degrees-fahrenheit"},"applicability":"applicable","source":"usda-plants-characteristics","sourceRecordId":"POBAT","sourceTaxon":"Populus trichocarpa","taxonMatch":"source-identifier","sourcePlacement":"PlantCharacteristics record 67402, Temperature, Minimum (°F)","sourceVersion":"PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"}],"hardinessSelection":{"status":"selected","assertion":{"minimum":"1b","interpretation":"minimum-threshold","precision":"half-zone","zoneMapping":"derived-containing-band","sourceMeasurement":{"kind":"minimum-temperature","value":-53,"unit":"degrees-fahrenheit"},"applicability":"applicable","source":"usda-plants-characteristics","sourceRecordId":"POBAT","sourceTaxon":"Populus trichocarpa","taxonMatch":"source-identifier","sourcePlacement":"PlantCharacteristics record 67402, Temperature, Minimum (°F)","sourceVersion":"PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},"assertions":[{"minimum":"1b","interpretation":"minimum-threshold","precision":"half-zone","zoneMapping":"derived-containing-band","sourceMeasurement":{"kind":"minimum-temperature","value":-53,"unit":"degrees-fahrenheit"},"applicability":"applicable","source":"usda-plants-characteristics","sourceRecordId":"POBAT","sourceTaxon":"Populus trichocarpa","taxonMatch":"source-identifier","sourcePlacement":"PlantCharacteristics record 67402, Temperature, Minimum (°F)","sourceVersion":"PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"}]},"invasiveIn":[],"statusAssertions":[],"fireEvidenceClass":"fire-resistant","recommendation":"on-list","fireSourceScopes":[],"firePerformanceConditions":[],"maintenanceAssertions":[],"maintenanceConditions":null,"regulatoryReviews":{},"seedReviews":{}},"legacyCompatibilityProjection":{"nativeStates":[],"invasiveIn":[],"usdaZoneMin":"1b"},"localAssessmentContract":"Compare each dimension separately. State noxious-weed seed designations are material-scoped and never become non-seed plant restrictions, ecological-invasive findings, nursery restrictions, alternatives, product evidence, or fire votes. Introduced/established context is not an invasive warning. Minimum-only hardiness has no inferred maximum; canonical source-temperature conversion is validated and contradictory applicable rows project no primary zone. L48 context applies only to conterminous states and is never exact-state status. Fire-performance conditions are not maintenance advice. FEIS fire-ecology context does not vote in the plant classification. Absence of a status row is not regulatory clearance."}