Trees Planet: Populus Nigra

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
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. 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.