Strange growth on cottonwood branches

[dacoontz]

Anyone know what this is? I swear I’ve seen it before, but can’t recall if it’s a bad thing? I’m thinking some sort of disease, but certainly gives the branches character. Looks like this cottonwood has seen it before.





This pic here shows same growth but older. I hadn’t noticed it before. The tree is relatively new to me as this is my first Fall/Winter with it.

 

[InstilledChaos]

Looks kinda like winged elm wings to me. Perhaps a similar characteristic on this tree?

 

[dacoontz]

Looks kinda like winged elm wings to me. Perhaps a similar characteristic on this tree?

I wonder if that’s what it is and the identification of the tree is incorrect as a cottonwood. The gentleman I bought this from has a bunch of elms. Many of his trees are cuttlings from Jon Catlin’s first Catlin elms.

 

[Hartinez]

Def not cottonwood. I’d guess elm also.

 

[rockm]

Likely an elm, probably a winged elm. Corky growth is common on many elm species. I've got it on collected cedar elm for instance. The growths can either drop off or they can be the beginnings of mature corky bark down the road. Nothing to worry about. Typically the wings show up on very actively growing twigs and new shoots.

 

[dacoontz]

Thanks everyone for the replies.