The article reports the draft genome sequence of *Populus trichocarpa* (black cottonwood), a model tree species for studying forest biology and biotechnology. The genome was assembled using a combination of whole-genome shotgun sequencing and genetic mapping, resulting in over 45,000 predicted protein-coding genes. The analysis revealed a whole-genome duplication event that occurred approximately 100-120 million years ago, with about 8,000 pairs of duplicated genes surviving in the *Populus* genome. A second, older duplication event coincided with the divergence of *Populus* and *Arabidopsis*. The *Populus* genome has more protein-coding genes than *Arabidopsis*, with an average of 1.4-1.6 putative *Populus* homologs per *Arabidopsis* gene. The study also identified genes associated with disease resistance, meristem development, metabolite transport, and lignocellulosic wall biosynthesis. The genome sequence provides insights into the evolution of tree biology and offers opportunities for comparative genomics studies to explore hypotheses related to wood development, nutrient and water movement, crown development, and disease resistance in perennial plants.The article reports the draft genome sequence of *Populus trichocarpa* (black cottonwood), a model tree species for studying forest biology and biotechnology. The genome was assembled using a combination of whole-genome shotgun sequencing and genetic mapping, resulting in over 45,000 predicted protein-coding genes. The analysis revealed a whole-genome duplication event that occurred approximately 100-120 million years ago, with about 8,000 pairs of duplicated genes surviving in the *Populus* genome. A second, older duplication event coincided with the divergence of *Populus* and *Arabidopsis*. The *Populus* genome has more protein-coding genes than *Arabidopsis*, with an average of 1.4-1.6 putative *Populus* homologs per *Arabidopsis* gene. The study also identified genes associated with disease resistance, meristem development, metabolite transport, and lignocellulosic wall biosynthesis. The genome sequence provides insights into the evolution of tree biology and offers opportunities for comparative genomics studies to explore hypotheses related to wood development, nutrient and water movement, crown development, and disease resistance in perennial plants.