Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Populus Nigra - Lombardy Poplar

General Information
Common Name Lombardy Poplar
Scientific Name Populus nigra
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Height 40-50 m (130-150 ft)
Spread 6 -12 m (20 - 40 ft)
Growth Rate Fast
Bloom Time Late Spring
Color Green
Flower Color Yellow
Type Tree
Native Europe, USA
Classification
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
SuperdivisionSpermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Dilleniidae
Order/ Salicales
Family Salicaceae – Willow family
Genus Populus L. – cottonwood
Species P. nigra

Populus Nigra - Lombardy Poplar
Populus Nigra subspecies 'Italica' common name is Lombardy Poplar. This is well known poplar in Europe. It is a narrow erect tall tree with a graceful plume-like fastigiated outline which adds dignity to the landscape.
Sub-species of Populus nigra:
Populus nigra sub-species: nigra. Central and eastern Europe. Leaves and shoots glabrous (hairless); bark grey-brown, thick and furrowed.
Populus nigra sub-species: betulifolia (Pursh) W.Wettst. North-west Europe (France, Great Britain, Ireland). Leaf veins and shoots finely downy; bark grey-brown, thick and furrowed, often with heavy burrs, trunk usually heavily leaning.
Populus nigra sub-species: caudina (Ten.) Bugała. Mediterranean region, also southwest Asia if var. afghanica not distinguished.
Populus nigra var. sub-species: afghanica Aitch. & Hemsl. (syn. P. nigra var. thevestina (Dode) Bean). Southwest Asia; treated as a cultivar of P. nigra by many botanists and as a distinct species P. afghanica by others bark smooth, nearly white; leaves and shoots as subsp. caudina.
* 'Italica'. The true Lombardy poplar, selected in Lombardy, northern Italy, in the 17th century. The growth is fastigiate, with a very narrow crown. Coming from the Mediterranean region, it is adapted to hot, dry summers and grows poorly in humid conditions, being short-lived due to fungal diseases. It is a male clone.

The green shoots become pale yellow, then grayish or brown. The reddish-brown winter buds are oval and pointed. The leaves are triangular in shape, though the basal angles are rounded, not sharp. This is a deciduous tree.
The short pendent male catkins have red anthers. They shed pollen in late March or early April. Female catkins are longer, green and curved.
The bark soon becomes rugged, and is almost black at the base, smooth and grey or brown on the upper part. The branches are all more or less erect. The tree normally never suckers, but when cut down suckers arise over practically the whole extent covered by its root system. It is useless for timber particularly on account of its numerous knots. 

The main purpose of planting the tree is to provide a screen, or a barrier against wind, dust and noise. It is easily struck from cuttings.


Populus Nigra - Lombardy Poplar

Populus Nigra - Lombardy Poplar

Populus Nigra - Lombardy Poplar Bark

 Lombardy Poplar Woods

Populus Nigra - Lombardy Poplar Leaves

Populus Nigra - Lombardy Poplar Beauty
Populus Nigra - Lombardy Poplar


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