Populus alba – White Poplar – Abele

General Information Common Name  White Poplar, Abele Scientific Name  Populus alba Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  16-27 m (50 - 90 ft) Spread  6 -12 m (20 - 40 ft) Growth Rate  Fast Bloom Time  Late Spring Color  Green Flower Color  Yellow Type  Tree Native  Europe

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class  Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons Subclass  Dilleniidae Order/  Salicales Family  Salicaceae – Willow family Genus  Populus L. – cottonwood Species  P. alba

Populus alba Full Tree

Populus alba common name is White Poplar also known as Abele. It is an attractive ornamental Poplar tree, handsome by reason of its pale bark and the glistening undersides of its quivering leaves. It was introduced in about 1548, and an old English name is ‘Abele’, evolved from the Latin alba, white. The young round shoots are at first white from their dense covering of matted, woolly down. The winter buds are covered like-wise. 

The leaves on the short shoots are small and variable in shape, the margins being dentate or shallowly lobed and having a few blunt, more or less triangular teeth. Most of these early leaves are as broad as, or even broader than, their length, and the upper surface is deep green, and somewhat hairy, the lower surface is at first white from the thick down, but soon becomes grey. The even more downy leaves on the long summer shoots and suckers are larger, up to 4 inches across, and palmately lobed, with the lobes bearing a few bluntly triangular teeth. The leaf-stalks on all the leaves are round or slightly flattened, and downy. 

The male pendent catkins, which open in early May, are some 2 or 3 inches long and have crimson anthers, the female catkins are rather shorter. Male and female trees are rarely found together, so fertile seed is seldom produced. Cuttings and suckers are the best means of propagation.

The attractive smooth and greyish-white bark has a greenish tinge and only slowly becomes black and roughened at the base. The tree is of no economic value but many people appreciate its decorative attractions, particularly its silvery appearance in spring and the contrast of the white and golden leaves in autumn. It is a good seaside tree. White Poplar is much confused with the possibly native Grey Poplar, P. canescens Sm., which grows faster, has a better shape, and reaches a larger size.

White Poplar Leaves

Populus alba Leaves Both Sides

Populus alba Flower With Cotton

White Poplar's White Cotton

Populus alba Bark

White Poplar Bark

Populus alba Bark

Populus alba Bark

Populus alba Full Trunk

White Poplar's Seeds whit Cotton

Populus alba Full Tree

White Poplar Full Tree