Does silver poplar grow in the Far East. Poplar - a natural filter of polluted air

1. Botanical description
2. Bloom
3. Application
4. Wood
5. pharmaceuticals
6. Growing on the site

Poplars are trees used for landscaping city streets and creating park areas. They grow quickly, gain deciduous mass, reproduce easily, are decorative, some have medicinal properties.

Black poplar (lat. Populus nigra) - one of the representatives of the genus from the Willow family. It is distributed in Europe, Siberia, Kazakhstan, China, North Africa, and the Caucasus. In Russia, this tree is also called osokorem.. Grows on plains, in floodplains, prefers black soil. In nature, it occurs singly and as part of mixed plantations. Adjacent to birches, willows, other types of poplars. It adapts to any adverse environmental conditions, i.e. it has good adaptive properties.

Botanical description

Osokor is a large deciduous plant. Trunks up to 30 m in height and more, reach 1.5 m in thickness, rarely branch. The bark of young trees is gray. In adults it is almost black, thick, deeply fissured in the lower part, slightly lighter towards the top and looks smoother. The root system has a complex structure, it includes anchor roots growing on the surface, deepening at an angle and penetrating to great depths. If the trunks are covered with silt or sand, adventitious roots form over time.. This structure helps to supply the trees with a large amount of moisture, ensures rapid growth and retention in a stable position in adverse weather conditions.

Lateral shoots are usually located at an acute angle, less often almost perpendicular to the trunk, form a wide ovoid or cylindrical crown. In old trees, it becomes sprawling and tent-like.

The apical buds are brown, elongated, rather large, up to 15 mm, with sharp tips, covered with a thick resinous coating. The lateral ones are slightly smaller, tightly pressed to the shoots. Swelling, they begin to shine, become sticky, emit a strong fragrant aroma.

The leaves are simple, smooth, have thin flattened petioles, arranged alternately.. Rounded and wide at the base, they taper to a pointed apex. The length of the plates is about 10 cm, the width is 4–5 cm. When blooming, they are sticky, light green, covered with a thin mesh of veins. The edges are finely serrated. Mature leaves are dark green, slightly lighter on the back.

A variety of osokor - pyramidal, or Italian poplar (lat. Populus nigra var. pyramidalis). In the wild form, it was first discovered on the Apennine Peninsula. The crown of this poplar is narrow, elongated, starts almost from the soil surface, the shoots grow almost vertically upwards, parallel to the trunk. The leaves are smaller than those of the osocorya, diamond-shaped. The plant reaches 35 m in height. Slender straight-stemmed trees with neat dense crowns are suitable for laying out alleys, planting along roads and landscaping city streets.

Bloom

Black poplar is a dioecious plant, that is, it has female and male specimens. Flowers are long thin catkins hanging on shoots. They form in early May, almost simultaneously with the opening of leaf buds. Males are very beautiful: fringed, purple-burgundy, up to 11 cm long. Females are about 5–6 cm, yellowish, after fertilization they increase 1.5 times. Pollinated by the wind. After 1-1.5 months, the seeds ripen. They are enclosed in small dry bivalve boxes, covered with white hairs. Dispersed by the wind. Fluff promotes transfer over distances of up to several kilometers.

Sorrel begins to bloom and bear fruit from 10–20 years of age.. One individual produces several million seeds, most of them germinate. At the beginning of June, a poplar "snowfall" usually occurs in the middle lane. Fluff covers streets, yards, flies into rooms, causes allergy attacks. In dry, warm, windy weather, fruit boxes begin to spread especially actively. To prevent this situation, only specimens of the same sex can be planted.

Black poplar lives 300-350 years, is the most durable among other related species. Old trees become thick, thickset, grow in breadth.

Application

Osokori are great for landscaping settlements. Advantages - rapid growth, decorative effect, the ability to purify the air from harmful impurities, dust and gases. The dense, tall crowns of trees release several times more oxygen than pines, spruces, and other conifers and hardwoods.

Planting black poplars along river banks and steep slopes helps to stop the process of soil destruction and prevents shedding. This is facilitated by powerful branched roots. Trees are planted along roads, in steppe zones, along the edges of ravines.

Wood

Black poplar is a source of cheap timber. The sapwood of the logs is rather narrow, yellowish in color. The core array is light brown, diffusely vascular, clearly demarcated. In structure and properties, the sedge is similar to aspen.

The growth rings are weakly expressed, the layers are evenly dense, with narrow core rays, the texture is discreet. Osokor, like other types of poplars, is very soft. The density of dried wood is 400–420 kg/m3. During processing, such disadvantages as warping, excessive viscosity, tendency to cracking and breaking of fibers are revealed. It is not easy to achieve a smooth surface of the material, more often it remains fleecy. It does not hold nails and screws well, and its resistance to shock loads is low. With strong squeezing or pressing with a hard object, dents remain on the surface. Without additional protection, the tree quickly swells, is damaged by the fungus, turns black and begins to rot. Moisture resistance is one of the lowest.

Due to its porosity and low hardness, black poplar wood is easily cut, impregnated with paints, varnishes and antiseptics, and sticks together well. It is used in the pulp and paper, turning and furniture industries. It is produced from:

• paper, cardboard;
• rayon;
• packaging container;
• matches;
• cuttings of shovels and other working equipment;
• wooden kitchen utensils: cups, bowls, spoons, jugs;
• cooperage products.

With the development of the production of glued materials, black poplar began to be used in the manufacture of plywood, veneer, and finishing boards.

pharmaceuticals

Tree buds are medicinal raw materials. The composition includes such bioactive substances as:

• glycosides;
• malic and gallic acids;
• essential oils, resins;
• gum.

For medicinal purposes, young leaves are also used, which are collected together with the buds in April after the start of sap flow. The best raw materials are unopened, resinous-coated buds that have a bitter taste.

Preparations prepared on the basis of black poplar have a pronounced antimicrobial, expectorant, antipyretic and analgesic effect, relieve inflammation, stimulate the stomach, kidneys and liver. Salicin and populin, used in pharmaceuticals, are isolated from it. Infusions and decoctions of fresh or dried raw materials treat bronchopulmonary diseases, inflammatory and infectious processes of the genitourinary organs, dermatosis, eczema, wash wounds, abrasions, boils, ulcers. In folk medicine, poplar water is used to improve hair growth, eliminate dandruff, relieve symptoms of intestinal inflammation, rheumatism, hemorrhoids. An extract from the buds of the blackberry is part of drugs that facilitate the release from nicotine addiction.

The essential oil of blackberry is used to make perfume compositions, added to cosmetics and cleaning products. In beekeeping farms, black poplar is a source of pollen and propolis.

Growing on the site

The blackcress propagates by seeds, basal shoots, cuttings. In favorable conditions, planting material easily takes root, quickly begins to grow.

Lots should be level or slightly sloping. It is undesirable to place black poplar in lowland, often swampy places.. The tree does not tolerate heavy, clayey or salted soils. Moisture-permeable loams, sandy loams, chernozem are suitable for it. Soil looseness should be medium. You should not plant a tree near sidewalks, above infrastructure, in front of the road. A powerful root system can destroy the coating, touch deep-lying pipes and cables. It is necessary to plant a plant at a distance of several meters from the walls of buildings and high fences.

Landing is carried out in September or spring after the snow melts.. For one-year-old seedlings, holes are dug 60 × 60 cm in size, organic fertilizers are added. Trees placed in the soil are watered. In the season of active growth, it is advisable to feed them with phosphate fertilizers and manure.

In a year, black poplar grows by 70-100 cm. It is required to cut off damaged shoots, loosen the soil. During dry periods, it is necessary to water the trees with plenty of water. In the first years, it is necessary to moisten the soil at least once a week, spending 20–25 liters of water per plant.

It is easy to propagate sorrel with shoots and seeds. Cuttings take root in the ground within 4-5 weeks. They can be immediately planted in permanent places. Seeds provide 98% germination by simply tossing them into loose soil and lightly covering them with soil.

These hardy, fast growing, usually slender trees are bred primarily for their abundant foliage and fast growth. Recommended only for large gardens where they can form effective windbreaks. Resistant to air pollution and withstand strong winds thanks to flexible branches and openwork crowns. Be careful when choosing a variety, as many of them are rapidly growing beyond their allotted space, and uprooting large specimens is expensive and difficult. For example, Populus nigra "Italica" (black pyramidal poplar) reaches a height of 35 m, and P. tremula (Aspen) - 24 m. Due to their size, they are not considered here.

All poplars have an extensive root system that absorbs a huge amount of soil moisture.

In no case should they be planted near buildings, especially those built on clay soil, which, when dried, is prone to subsidence.

Some species, when cut and even heavily pruned, give a lot of tops and root offspring, so these operations almost do not reduce the need for water.

Plants are dioecious. In early spring, reddish staminate and greenish pistillate catkins up to 5 and 10 cm long, respectively, are formed on still bare trees. self-seeding.

P. alba "Raket" (syn. "Rocket") (T. white, T. silver)

Ascending gray branches form a narrow pyramidal crown. Leaves 7 cm long, usually five-lobed. They are glossy green above, silvery-white felt below, which creates a shimmering effect when they are swayed by the wind. In strongly blown places, young specimens require supports. Abundant root suckers can become a problem. Plant height and diameter - 15x5 m (20 years). The maximum height is 20 m.

P. alba "Richardii"

Leaves 6-12 cm long, golden yellow above, silvery felt below. Plant height and diameter - 10x6 m (20 years). The maximum height is 15 m.

P. alba "Richardii"

R. canadensis "Aurea" (T. Canadian)

Very vigorous trees with almost triangular light yellow leaves 8 cm long, which turn golden in autumn. Plant height and diameter - 16x12 m (20 years). The maximum height is 20 m.

P. candicans "Aurora" (T. large-leaved)

The leaves are broadly oval, up to 12 cm long, smelling of needles, painted in different shades of cream, pink and green. In middle age, these trees are usually heavily affected by cancer. Plant height and diameter - 16x8 m (20 years). Maximum height - 18 m.

P. nigra "Lombardy Gold" (T. black, Osokor)

Pyramidal, slowly growing tree with triangular yellow leaves up to 8 cm long. Plant height and diameter - 5x1.5 m (20 years). Maximum height - 8 m.

P. tremula "Pendula" (Aspen)

One of the most unpretentious weeping trees, more suitable for standard garden plots than the common aspen. Prefers moist fertile soil, but grows well in a variety of soil types, even in the city. In early spring, greyish-lilac catkins form before the rounded leaves open. Root offspring may appear, which requires careful selection of the landing site. Plant height and diameter - 8x7 m (20 years). The maximum height is 10 m.

cultivation

Poplars are easy to grow, but they require a lot of space and moisture. The distance from them to the buildings must be at least twice the maximum height of the tree.

Remember that the wood of all poplars is soft, so even large branches can break in strong winds.

reproduction

Lignified cuttings (in the spring in open ground), or semi-lignified cuttings (at the end of summer under glass).

pruning

It is usually required only if the trees become unstable due to too heavy a crown. Many poplars respond to pruning with the appearance of tops (basal shoots) and root offspring.

Pests and diseases

Probably, no tree is as popular in landscaping city streets, parks and squares as poplar.

So familiar to everyone from childhood, and many people remember the song: “Poplars, poplars, lovers in my city ...” Although poplar often causes criticism during the flowering period, when its fluff covers the streets, gets into apartments, flies into the eyes ...
It would seem that what is interesting in it, in such a familiar and simple, and what can we talk about? But let's get to know this plant better, maybe we will find in it something new and still unknown to us.

In nature, poplars are distributed throughout the northern hemisphere - from China (their ancestral home is located here), throughout Eurasia, there are in America and even in eastern Africa. In total, there are a little more than 100 species of poplars in the world, united in the genus Populus, which belongs to the willow family (Salicaceae).

As you can see, the Latin name of the tree itself speaks of its popularity. And it came from Ancient Greece, where already at that time these trees were grown on the streets and squares. In nature, poplar most often grows near rivers, as it prefers moist soils.

For example, aspen can grow on saline lands, and poplar variegated feels good on dune sands. By the way, a forest where many poplars grow is called a poplar forest.

One of the main features of these trees is their rapid growth, which has made poplar so popular in urban landscaping.
Poplars in autumn Poplars do not live long.

Usually the growth of a tree slows down by the age of 50, and 60-80 years is the usual duration of its life, although there are species that live up to 150 years.

Poplar wood is highly susceptible to various fungal infections, and therefore tree branches break easily, and they themselves are short-lived. Poplars - trees are solid, large, growth is 50-60 m, but more often grow up to 40 m.

The trunk is quite impressive, it happens, and it reaches a meter in thickness. Different types have a crown of different shapes - spherical, oval, pyramidal.

The leaves of all poplars are simple, petiolate, usually oval with a pointed tip, sometimes lanceolate or with a notched edge. Most often smooth, but there are also pubescent.
Poplar catkins Poplars are mostly dioecious trees.

Flowering takes place in early spring, even before blooming or simultaneously with the unfolding of leaves, pollination usually occurs through the wind. Small flowers are collected in inflorescences-earrings, respectively, male and female. Trees begin to bloom and bear fruit at the age of 10 years.

Poplar fruits are small boxes with fluffy hairs. It is they who cause so much anxiety to the inhabitants of cities. Therefore, it is desirable to plant exclusively male plants for landscaping the streets.

Consider some types of poplars.

grows in the eastern part of Siberia Fragrant poplar(Populus Suaveolens). It is also found in Mongolia and northern China.

The light-loving tree reaches 20 m in height, has a dense ovoid-oval crown, a trunk with a light yellowish-gray bark. It got its name for fragrant and resinous (especially in spring) buds and young twigs.

The leaves are bright green, leathery and shiny, oval in shape with a sharp tip at the top, rather dense, slightly whitish below. Small flowers form dangling earrings.

A characteristic feature of poplar is its rapid growth at a young age, and due to its exceptional winter hardiness, it is a valuable species for planting greenery in settlements in the northern regions, although its life expectancy is short in the city.

Poplar laurel(Populus Laurifolia) is widely distributed throughout Siberia. Habitat - river pebble floodplains, can rise to a height of about 1800 m. Unlike the previous species, shade-tolerant.

The tree is quite tall, has a slightly branched tent-shaped crown. The bark of the dark trunk is cut with deep cracks.

The leaves are lanceolate, elongated, dark green and shiny, located on numerous shortened shoots, which is why it seems that they grow in bunches.

This gives the tree a very original shape.

Foliage of poplar laurel. Photo from the site plantarium.ru It does not grow as fast as other species, but it is very resistant to urban smoke, winter-hardy and unpretentious. Also found in Russia Poplar black(Populus nigra). It grows in the regions of the middle zone to Perm, in the south - in the Crimea and the Caucasus, as well as in Central Asia and even in Western Siberia. Osokor can be seen in various reserves of our country.

Prefers light forests growing on sandy loose soils in river valleys. This is a powerful and tall tree with a spreading crown. The bark is covered with cracks, the young tree is light gray, then gradually blackens. The leaves are rhombic, sometimes triangular in shape with a pointed tip, dark green in color, slightly fragrant.

The plant is winter-hardy, drought-resistant, undemanding to living conditions. But on humus-rich, moist soils it will grow faster.

Poplar pyramidal(Populus Pyramidalis) is a tall and slender tree with a columnar crown, wide at the bottom and gradually tapering upward, making the tree look like a cypress. It is believed that the birthplace of this species is Asia Minor, but it is not known for sure.
Poplar pyramidal

The leaves are rhombus-shaped, may be triangular, not very large. The species is not too hardy, but grows well in central Russia and in the south of Western Siberia. An excellent tree for urban landscaping, good both in groups and in solitary planting, forms beautiful alleys.

Also interesting species: so balsamic, so white or silver. By the way, our usual aspen belongs to this glorious group of plants, and it bears the name - trembling poplar.

Most poplar species have an extraordinary ability to reproduce in a variety of ways:

• root suckers,
• cuttings,
• seeds.

A very simple and affordable way is cuttings. Cut shoots of poplar root easily in both water and soil.

When propagating by seeds, it should be remembered that they quickly become unsimilar, so it is better to sow freshly harvested seeds. You can store them for no more than a year in a dry and cool place.

And a few more words about the benefits and uses of poplar. We have already said about its indispensability in the landscaping of city streets. It is only necessary to add that the rapid growth, as well as the ability of its leaves to purify the air of gas and smoke, cannot be compared with any other type of tree. Therefore, poplar remains one of the most important and rational elements in urban landscaping.
Poplars in the park

In addition, tree wood is very widely used for economic purposes: it is used to make paper and rayon, make simple furniture and various containers, it goes to lumber and much more. And paint is obtained from the leaves and buds of poplar. This is such a wonderful and useful tree - our old friend poplar.

Source: https://7dach.ru/LenaMedvednikova/nash-staryy-znakomyy-topol-127353.html

Poplar - a snowy tree in the June heat

Under the tall, gloomy old Poplars, important documents were signed and oaths were pronounced.

In the era of revolutions, the poplar was a symbol of the struggle of the people for freedom and rights.

At the same time, in Chinese traditions, the tree meant the unity of opposites - yin and yang. Thanks to their colors, Poplar leaves represented black and white, the beginning and the end.

In folk tales, Poplar personified a gentle and delicate nature. Poplar leaves, like Aspen, trembled in the wind.

Since ancient times, it was believed that Poplars are able to absorb negative energy and protect the house from evil spirits. Like guards, tall trees stood on the streets in cities and villages. Many old-timers believe that trees cannot endlessly absorb evil thoughts and, in the end, give a lot to the world.

There are several theories about the origin of the word "poplar".

According to one version, the tree could be called "Popol", which is derived from the Latin name for the tree "populus". At some point, the word changed for unknown reasons.

The word "populus" from Latin actually means "people".

Where poplar grows

There are about 90 species of this tree. One of the rarest, listed in the Red Book is the Black Poplar.

Poplar belongs to the willow family. In nature, it can be found along the banks of rivers and on the slopes of hills, however, it is most often found along roads and in parks in cities and villages.

Wild species are extremely sensitive to soil moisture. That is why Poplars are not found near swamps and swamps. Cultivated plants, on the contrary, take root well in almost any soil and even in heavily polluted areas.

Various types of Poplars grow in Siberia, Northwestern Russia, the Far East, America, Mexico, China and even East Africa.

Poplar grows very fast and within 40 years reaches an incredible size. The maximum age of such Poplar reaches 150 years. There are cases when the age of the Black Poplar was about 400 years.

What does Poplar look like?

Poplar is a slender tall tree with a strong thick trunk and a silvery crown. The height of the Black Poplar sometimes reaches 40 meters, while the maximum recorded girth of the trunk is more than 4 meters.

Poplar's crown is very dense and broad. Over time, many branches dry up. It is as if negative energy is drying up an old tree from the inside.

The bark of the common poplar has a grayish tint and cracks over time.

The tree is dioecious. In the summer, female flowers turn into that same poplar fluff - white snow against the backdrop of a hot summer.

When poplar blossoms

The flowering of Poplar begins in April or May, depending on the region. Due to the high content of pollen in the flowers, the tree is considered an excellent honey plant.

In June and July, ripe fruits with seeds are separated from the branches and spread through forests, cities and parks.

Healing properties of Poplar

The bark, seeds and buds of the plant are used as medicines.

Poplar bark contains tannins, glycosides and alkaloids. Due to this, a decoction of the bark has a sedative effect and calms the nervous system.

At the same time, tannins have an astringent effect and are effective in indigestion.

Decoctions from the kidneys effectively fight inflammation and increase the body's resistance.

An infusion of poplar leaves is used as a wound healing agent.

There are preparations based on Poplar that can cope with a depressive state and normalize sleep.

Poplar buds, powdered and mixed with other ingredients, are used for hair loss. This ointment is able to stimulate the hair follicles.

Contraindications

Tannins in preparations from Poplar bark can aggravate the condition of the problematic gastrointestinal tract.

It must be remembered that the use of any properties of Poplar for medicinal purposes, like any other plant, is possible only after consultation with specialists.

Poplar Application

Poplar wood is used in industry as a raw material for making paper, matches, plywood and even charcoal.

Despite the fact that poplar wood is not a favorite material for carvers and joiners, it is very valuable. The tree is able to quickly reach its maturity, therefore it is an important and fast source of renewable natural resources.

Poplar is capable of producing a huge amount of oxygen and surpasses even Pine and El.

Many types of plants are unpretentious in the soil and are able to withstand increased air pollution by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. That is why this plant has been planted in parks and along roads for many decades in a row.

Unfortunately, Poplar is also known for being a strong irritant for allergy sufferers. This fact was clearly not taken into account in Soviet times during the mass planting of Poplars in residential areas.

The oldest Poplar grows in Ukraine. Its age is approximately 200 years, while the girth of the trunk is just over 9 meters.

During the hungry war years, the bast layer under the tree bark was dried and added to flour for baking bread.

As you know, the living layer of a tree is a valuable source of microelements, therefore it was often an assistant in the fight against hunger in the most difficult times in the history of the country.

Poplar bark is very light, so it was often used as a float in fishing nets.

Poplars love to change their gender. Female catkins may form on the male plant. Scientists explain this phenomenon by unfavorable ecology.

Source: http://xn--e1aaqjt5d.xn--p1ai/articles/derevja/topol.html

community of green men

Populus, poplar, aspen. Fast growing dioecious, often very tall trees. The leaves are wide on long petioles. Flowers in cylindrical catkins bloom in spring before the leaves. Traditional plants for alleys and large parks.

Types and varieties of poplar

There are about 40 species in the genus, distributed in Europe, America, North Africa and Asia.

Poplar trembling, Aspen (Populus tremula)

A tree up to 30 m high with a sparse crown and light greenish-gray bark.

The leaves are almost rounded, 3-10 cm long, gray or bluish-green, young leaves are pubescent, becoming scarlet-red in autumn.

Blooms until leaves appear in April. Earrings up to 15 cm long. The fruits are inconspicuous boxes, ripen in July.

Type of zimostek. USDA Zone 1

A popular variety of aspen ‘ Pendula‘- a low variety with a weeping crown shape. Leaves with a rounded toothed plate, trembling, on a long petiole. Earrings with long black pubescence.

The variety is unpretentious. At aspen poplar (Populus tremuloides) or American aspen has a similar variety ‘ Pendula'. This variety has pointed and serrated leaves.

Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera)

A large deciduous tree with a relatively narrow pyramidal crown. Branches with large resinous buds. Leaves up to 15 cm long, oval, rough, dark glossy above, whitish below.

Closely related species: whitish poplar, Korean poplar, bay leaf poplar, fragrant poplar, bristle-fruited poplar. In culture, hybrids are most often grown that tolerate heavy pruning and are suitable for sunny areas.

Laurel poplar (Populus laurifolia)

Homeland - Western Siberia to the Angara, East Kazakhstan; Mongolia. Widely distributed in culture from 60 ° C. sh. up to the steppe zone, inclusive, is available in Tajikistan.

Tree up to 25 m with a wide crown. The bark at the base of old trunks is dark gray, with deep cracks, on large branches it is gray-green, smooth. Young branches are straw-yellow, ribbed due to the presence of pterygoid cork outgrowths, pubescent along the edges.

Buds are sharp, sticky, covered with yellowish resin, fragrant. The leaves are oblong-ovate with a pointed apex, dark green, shiny, whitish below, 12 cm long and 5 cm wide. Petiole several times shorter than blade, pubescent.

Blooms at the same time or before the leaves bloom, in April-May. Male earrings have purple anthers, female earrings are greenish-yellow. Fruits - slightly pubescent boxes, seeds with long hairs, ripen in June-July.

Low ability to root cuttings.

Frost-resistant. USDA zone 4

Berlin poplar, or Berlin laurel poplar (Populus x berolinensis)

A hybrid from the group of black poplars. Tree up to 30 m tall with a columnar crown. Branches are yellowish gray. The leaves are oval, angular, up to 10 cm long, roughly serrated, bright green.

The species tolerates heavy pruning, unpretentious.

Canadian poplar, real American, or black poplar hybrid (Populus x canadensis, P. x euamericana)

A hybrid of deltoid poplar (Canadian) and black poplar.

Tall tree over 20 m tall with open or raised branches and resinous fragrant buds. The bark is light grey. The leaves are similar in shape to birch, on reddish petioles, serrated, sharp, up to 10 cm long.

Popular varieties and forms of Canadian poplar:

The varieties ‘Dorskamp’, ‘Nor ‘easier’ and ‘Robusta’ (P. x robusta) have a rounded crown shape; in varieties ‘Eugenii’ (‘Imperial’, ‘Serotina’) and ‘Prairie Sky’ it is spike-shaped.

Simon's poplar, or Chinese poplar (Populus simonii)

Homeland - Northeast China, Korean Peninsula, eastern part of Mongolia.

A tree with a narrow neat crown up to 20 m tall. Blooms in early May.

Type of zimostek. USDA Zone 1

Popular variety ‘ Fastigiata' with a pyramidal crown. The variety does not flower. Winter hardiness is high. Steady in the city.

Black poplar, or poplar (Populus nigra)

Homeland - the valleys of Central and Southern Europe.

Tree up to 25 m tall with gray, wrinkled bark. The crown is wide, spreading. Dark green, shiny leaves are triangular or ovate with a sharp apex, serrated, up to 10 cm long, on long petioles.

White poplar, or silver poplar (Populus alba)

Deciduous tree up to 25-35 m. The crown is broadly spreading, starting low from the ground. The bark is light gray, smooth, dark gray or black in old age, with deep cracks. Shoots are green in spring, with white-felt pubescence. Buds are small, 5 mm, pubescent in spring, shiny.

The leaves are alternate, ovate, rounded or triangular-ovate, dense, 6-12 cm long, 5 cm wide, silvery-felt below. Leaves on long shoots are palmate-lobed, and on short shoots almost rounded.

Most of the leaves remain green in autumn, the rest are painted lemon yellow. The plant is dioecious. Male catkins are thick, whitish, with carmine-red anthers, 4-6 cm long, hanging. Female catkins 10 cm long, stigmas yellowish or whitish.

Blossoms in April, before the leaves bloom, bears fruit in June. It has a powerful root system exceeding the diameter of the crown.

This species prefers moist, nutrient-rich soil that is slightly acidic or slightly alkaline.

Silver poplar cultivars are interesting: ‘Nivea’ is a tree up to 30 m high with a powerful wide crown, ‘Pyramidalis’ is a tree with a narrow columnar crown shape at the beginning, and with a wide conical shape later.

poplar care

Almost all species require good soil, and they all avoid stagnant moisture, acidic soil, and prolonged drought.

Poplars have a particularly high nutrient requirement.

Poplar propagation

Seeds and root suckers.

Source: http://www.plantopedia.ru/encyclopaedia/garden-plants/details/t/Topol-osina/

The work of a forester is fascinating.

He will grow, nurture tender plants from a tiny, barely noticeable seed, transplant them carefully into well-cultivated soil and take care of them for many years. Not soon, young pets will become mighty branchy oaks, slender pines, majestic fir or ash trees.

Nearby, a farmer-farmer, it seems, has only just sowed his field, looked after every day with growing shoots, and now summer has not really established itself, but he walks among the golden waves of wheat, weighs juicy full-weight grain in his palm.

After five, at most ten years, the first crops of fruits or berries are harvested by a gardener.

But those who grow forests have never been spoiled by fate.

Only in old age is it given to them to walk under the canopy of the forest they have cherished, and harvesting the forest harvest is the work of sons, and even grandchildren.

That is why, since ancient times, foresters have harbored a cherished dream: to grow not one, but many generations of forest in their life, not one, but several times to enjoy the harvest of the trees grown by them.

It seemed like a fruitless dream. But then the Great October came, and what was previously considered unrealizable began to be realized before our eyes.

The national economy allotted enormous sums to the foresters, armed them with the most modern and perfect equipment, provided them with almost unlimited areas, obliging former dreamers to take up real work - to grow forests faster.

This was especially important for the European part of our country, which had long been inhabited and fairly deforested in the past.

After all, forests are growing, as they were centuries ago, and the consumption of their wealth by industry and construction has increased a hundredfold and continues to grow steadily.

How to be? Some proposed to take a course on the champions of rapid growth - eucalyptus trees, others were looking for a solution to the problem in the agricultural technology of forest cultivation, in growth stimulants, in fertilizers.

The gold-bearing forest vein was groped by those who turned their hopes on poplars, which were considered in the past to be of little value.

White poplar, or silver poplar (White Poplar)

© la la means I love you

It turns out that trees have unusual fates. Such, for example, breeds as oak, ash, spruce, maple have long been universally recognized.

They are carefully treated in natural forests, they are lovingly grown in forest nurseries or forest cultures, as arborists call young artificial forests. And poplars have always grown by themselves.

True, people have long noticed the unusual growth rate of poplars, their large size, beautiful appearance, they willingly planted them on dams or the banks of ponds and reservoirs, streets and roads, used them for landscaping cities not only because of their rapid growth, but also due to the unpretentiousness of the poplar and the ability to easily propagate by cuttings.

I planted a 30-centimeter cutting in the spring, and by autumn it is already a two- or even three-meter tree, in subsequent years it will hardly slow down its growth rate, several years will pass, and you have a large shady tree in front of you.

At the beginning of summer, when poplar fluff begins to fly, many unflattering epithets are given to poplars. But it is not the trees that should be scolded, but those who planted female specimens on the streets. Poplar is a dioecious plant.

Male and female specimens bloom at the same time, in early spring, before the leaves bloom. The reddish catkins of male poplars, having scattered the pollen, fall off and do not cause much trouble to people.

Yellow-green catkins of female trees after pollination form green fruit boxes, from which, after one and a half to two months, billions of small seeds fly out, equipped with parachute fluffs.

The poplar's ability to sow its offspring so actively is the reason for the complaints of people in cities and villages.

The Greeks in ancient times knew this property of the poplar and lined the squares of the people's meetings and the central streets with masculine specimens. By the way, botanists borrowed the word “populus” for the name of the genus of poplars from the ancient Greeks, that is, folk.

But back to the concerns of foresters.

Poplars, mentioned here with a good and unkind word, for a long time were recognized only by specialists in planting greenery in populated areas, while foresters treated them at least indifferently.

And what self-respecting arborist could grow a poplar forest in the past? After all, poplar has been considered a forest weed for centuries. What is the loose, low-quality wood of these plants suitable for? Where is she before such, say, breeds as oak, walnut, beech?

However, times have changed, and the attitude towards the poplar genus has also changed. With the development of omnipotent chemistry, the woodworking industry gained strength, mastering the methods of amazing transformations.

They learned how to simply and cheaply remake poor poplar wood into strong, like oak or boxwood, beautiful, like the famous walnut and birch, and besides, it is quite resistant to decay and even fire.

Poplar has now taken its rightful place among its former competitors and has attracted the main attention of foresters, especially in forest-poor areas. You cannot now find a forester who, somewhere in the Kuban, Ukraine, and even in central Russia, would not grow poplar with all care.

A great contribution was made to science and to the practice of cultivating this tree by Soviet forestry breeders. Among the pupils of Academician A.S.

Yablokov, there are the slender poplars Pioneer, Michurinets, Russian, which he bred and are not inferior to them in growth rate, but with the original form of leaves near Moscow, Ivanteevsky, Soviet pyramidal and named after the great Russian writer poplar Maxim Gorky.

Promising hybrids of poplars were also obtained by A. V. Albensky, corresponding member of the All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences named after V. I. Lenin.

Particularly noteworthy is the seedling selected from the legacy of the English breeder Professor O. Henry, bequeathed by him to the Soviet Union. This fast-growing poplar hybrid is called red-nervous.

By the way, it is represented only by male specimens, which are so necessary for planting greenery in populated areas.

Also interesting are the hybrids of the selection of the Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR F.L.

Poplar black, or Osokor (Black poplar)

Thousands of crosses had to be made, tens of thousands of hybrid seedlings had to be grown and culled before valuable, promising forms were selected.

Many years of creative work have been spent on these several dozen new varieties by our scientists.

But what a future lies ahead for their offspring! New, valuable varieties of poplar are emerging on a vast forest field.

Does not remain indebted to scientists and nature. She tirelessly creates, taking advantage of the relatively easy interbreeding of poplars, all new varieties.

To date, more than 110 species of poplar have been studied by botanists in the temperate zone of the globe, and it is not easy to take into account varieties and hybrid forms: many of them are found in almost every forestry.

Now the fastest growing and most resistant natural hybrids are selected annually. Many of them have already been bred in different regions of the Soviet Union, in particular, in sparsely forested regions in the south of the country.

Here, for example, Canadian poplar. This is a descendant of a poplar that was resettled to us from Canada. Having crossed many times with our poplars, it has turned into a complex natural hybrid.

Like the best hybrids created by science, already in the first year of planting in forest belts, it is able to protect the field from dry winds and droughts.

At 7-8 years old, Canadian poplar can already produce the first ornamental wood, and by the age of 15-20, its best plantations accumulate as much wood as an oak or pine forest only by the age of one hundred years.

That's where the reserves of fast growing wood. That's when the opportunity presented itself to satisfy a hundredfold increased demand for valuable raw materials and at the same time fulfill the cherished dream of foresters.

Not several harvests throughout their lives, but now they are harvested annually with the light hand of the Kharkov scientist F. A. Pavlenko. The method he proposed for using annual poplar vines for paper production is a new page both in the creative search of foresters and in the fate of the poplar.

If eucalyptus forests make noise on our lands in the future, the owners of the forest say, then the present in the sparsely forested and treeless regions of the country completely belongs to poplars. On hundreds of thousands of hectares, forests of fast-growing poplars are planted annually in our country.

Along with them, poplars-monuments are also keeping an honorary watch. In the early spring of 1924, on the steep bank of the Oka, in the village of Konstantinov, Sergei Yesenin planted a young poplar near his father's house.

Many trees on the modest Yesenin estate died from the severe frosts of the Ryazan region or simply outlived their lives, and the poplar matured, threw up its curly crown high into the sky blue, and firmly established itself with roots deeply sunk into the ground.

It stands as a living monument to the poet by the hut, which has now been turned into a museum.

The workers of the locomotive depot Moscow-Sortirovochnaya decided to celebrate Lenin's birthday by planting poplars. On a fine spring day on April 22, 1960, they came to their club and planted 90 trees.

It was immediately decided to plant one more poplar every year on this significant day. The good tradition was observed up to the memorable 100th anniversary.

Every year the best of the best workers of the oldest enterprise received the right to plant a tree

Source: https://www.botanichka.ru/article/poplar/

Species of fast growing trees

After acquiring a land plot, the first priority is its landscaping.

And the owner asks the question: what species of trees and shrubs to buy in order to ennoble the adjoining space with the help of plantings as soon as possible.

In this case, you should pay attention to fast-growing plants: trees and shrubs. With their help, you can quickly arrange a hedge or decorate the site.

Let's figure out which trees grow fast.

fastest growing tree

The fastest growing tree on planet Earth is the eucalyptus, a native of Australia and the island of Tasmania.

In the first 10 years of its life, this tree grows very quickly, annually increasing in height by 4-5 meters.

By the age of 100, the eucalyptus reaches a height of 100 m.

The growth rate of this plant is 4 times higher than that of oak, and 5-year-old eucalyptus plantations are already real forests. These trees grow only in tropical and subtropical climates.

In the Northern Hemisphere, only ornamental varieties such as lemon eucalyptus and gunni eucalyptus can be grown.

The well-known deciduous tree grows rather slowly in the first 2-3 years of its life, but then it grows very intensively. By the age of 5, its height can be more than 10 m.

This powerful unpretentious tree does not require absolutely any care, but if the owner of the site has the goal of growing a full-fledged tree as quickly as possible, then it is recommended to fertilize the soil and regularly water the seedling.

white willow

This fast-growing tree takes the form of a shrub after cutting the central trunk. Its crown is broadly rounded, often weeping. From experienced gardeners, you can often hear advice that if you need to quickly plant greenery on a site, then you should plant willows on it.

Poplar pyramidal

This tree grows on any soil, but loves well-moistened places. Reaches a height of 40-45 m, in the girth of the trunk - up to 1 m. The ability to bear fruit occurs at 10-12 years. The root system is strong, mostly goes beyond the crown.

The famous Alley of Heroes in Volgograd is framed on the sides by pyramidal poplars

Aspen

Often used for landscaping settlements. Unpretentious, grows on any soil. In April, bees collect pollen from its flowers. Susceptible to wood diseases. The root system is located deep underground, forms numerous root offspring.

Other trees

Silver maple, ash maple, white locust, different types of tamaris, spirea. These plants are used for landscaping streets, parks, squares and creating gardens.

See photos of these species

Lawn grass planting and care. Read the article.

Overview of garden conifers

Belongs to the genus of coniferous trees, the pine family. The needles are flat, soft, sheds for the winter. Beautiful oblong cones sit at the ends of the shoots.

It is common in cold climates, but survives well in warmer conditions.

Unpretentious and very beautiful tree, the fastest growing coniferous tree.

Elm

Widely distributed in the Volga region and the Southern Urals. The tree is powerful, hardy, does not require constant care. It has two varieties: small-leaved elm and squat elm. It likes fertile soils, on which it develops much faster. The height of this deciduous tree reaches 40 m.

Pine

Some species of this tree have edible nuts, and are collectively called "cedar pines". Pine more than 120 species, distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

Unpretentious, has a powerful root system. According to the number of leaves in a bunch, they are divided into two-needle, three-needle and five-needle.

The leaves stay on the tree for 5 years, after which they change.

Norway spruce

Widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is a forest-forming species.

The root system of this evergreen tree is superficial, the crown is cone-shaped, the lower branches may be drooping. The needles are strong, elastic, 4-sided.

The gray bark peels off in thin sheets. The tree is hardy and unpretentious. Grows on any soil.

Sycamore

It has 11 deciduous and evergreen species. Widely distributed in the Caucasus, Ukraine, the Mediterranean. The crown is dense, wide, with a powerful trunk.

Distyas are arranged on long petioles, pointed in shape and resemble the leaves of Norway maple.

The tree develops well on any soil and is not demanding on watering.

The plane tree is long-lived and can live for over 2000 years

Other trees

Common ash, magnificent catalpa, mulberry, European and Siberian larches, Scots and Weymouth pines, narrow-leaved sucker, European euonymus, bird cherry, common viburnum, red and black elderberry and others.

Here we have photos of these trees

This genus includes more than 150 species of various breeds. All maples are beautiful, shade-tolerant, love moisture, so they need to be watered regularly.

In gardens, it is used both as a specimen tree and in group plantings. It has a beautiful carved leaf shape.

Field Maple and Ginala are great for creating hedges.

Red cedar

It grows quite quickly, resistant to diseases and pests, winter-hardy. Propagated by seeds and grafts. Grows well in any soil. Shade-tolerant, retains its shape for a long time after cutting. Looks great in single plantings, suitable for creating hedges.

Thuja western

This beautiful evergreen tree belongs to the cypress family. It has many artificially derived decorative forms.

Winter-hardy, unpretentious, not demanding on soil moisture. The crown is compact, pyramidal or ovoid. The needles are dark green, elastic, scaly.

In winter, it acquires a brownish-brown color.

Quince

Deciduous tree or shrub, reaches a height of 4-5 meters. The leaves are beautiful rounded, arranged alternately. Blossoms in May - June, and edible fruits ripen in September. Fruits, seeds and leaves are used in medical practice.

Other trees

Vesicles, various types of skumpia, lilac, hornbeam, common linden, most junipers, western thuja, pedunculate oak.

It is a subspecies of the common pear. If this is a tree, then it reaches a height of 8-20 m, if a shrub - 4-5 m. It blooms from April to May, has a gray bark with small scales. Unpretentious, loves moist fertile soils.

apple trees

Forest, Siberian, Manchurian, plum-leaved and others are often used for landscaping parks and squares. These are trees with a spreading crown, fruit-bearing, beautifully flowering. Wild species have spines on the branches.

common hawthorn

Beautiful flowering hardy tree. It has high decorative qualities, often used by gardeners to decorate their site.

It is better to plant hawthorn in sunny places. Requires drainage, which should consist of two layers: gravel and sand.

Forms shoots well and tolerates a haircut.

Magnolia

Beautiful flowering deciduous tree. Propagated by seeds, cuttings and grafting. The leaves are large, often epilleptic, deep green. By the beauty of the leaves, it occupies one of the leading places among ornamental plants. Most often used in single plantings.

Other trees

Irga, dogwood, privet, cork oak, sea buckthorn and others.

Photos

Compact, decorative, evergreen plant, grows up to 2 m. Suitable for forming hedges, the branches are distinguished by good strength. With the help of a haircut, boxwood is easy to give any shape that it holds for a long time. Often used to frame flower beds and garden paths.

Yew berry

Coniferous relict tree, with a dense spreading crown, which has an ovoid-cymillindric shape. Often multiple. The tree is dioecious, produces seeds until old age. This beautiful tree is quite dangerous: its needles and fruit pit contain a strong poison.

Japanese euonymus

An ornamental shrub that is suitable for use in hedges. It cuts well and keeps its shape for a long time.

The leaves are oval, dark green with a light green border. It blooms in May with small red-pink flowers. Drought-resistant, requires watering no more than 1 time per month.

In a particularly dry season - 1 time in 2 weeks. Likes fertile soils.

All dwarf forms of deciduous and coniferous species.

A thorny plant often used for hedges. During the season, it adds up to 30 cm in height. It cuts well, is winter-hardy, and is extremely unpretentious in care. Not picky about soil fertility, drought-resistant. The fruits are edible, the leaves have a rich green color.

Barberry

Decorative large shrub, fruit-bearing. The berries have medicinal properties, the leaves and bark contain large amounts of the alkaloid bereberine, which is extremely useful for healing the body. Gardeners especially love Thunberg's barberry for its high decorative qualities.

Other fast growing shrubs

Quince, cotoneaster, spirea (tavolta), lilac, hawthorn, fast-growing cinquefoil and others.

Poplar wall protects the site from the wind

Not all fast growing trees are suitable for garden formation.

For example, silver maple, despite its growth rate, is considered the worst weed in many countries, and can quickly turn a garden into a maple grove.

The best option would be to use decorative species such as bird cherry, magnolia, hawthorn, apple trees, northern red oak, gray elm, tulip tree and others.

With the help of fast-growing trees with a beautiful crown shape, you can emphasize the zonal centers of the yard, focus on significant structures, and plant them along water bodies.

Large trees are more often used in single plantings, since in this case it is able to better show all its decorative qualities.

Black poplar (Populus nigra) is a perennial tall tree belonging to the willow family. In the people it is called osokorem. Under natural growing conditions, it can be found in many countries of the world. He prefers to grow in ecologically clean areas. It can be seen on forest edges, in floodplains and low mountains. It needs muddy or sandy soil.

Black poplar grows up to 35 meters in height. ABOUT It is characterized by a wide crown and thick yellowish bark, on which a dirty gray coating and cracks form over time. A long rhizome can go into the ground for several meters. In spring, the plant begins to form large, sticky, resinous ovoid or cone-shaped buds.

During flowering, the tree is covered with inflorescences-earrings, which consist of small flowers. Large, dense foliage has a triangular shape and long petioles. Small, hairy seeds are collected in capsule fruits. They ripen from mid-spring to early summer and, covered with down, begin to scatter over long distances. The life expectancy of a tree reaches 200 years.

Black poplar is a perennial tall tree belonging to the willow

Healing properties of black poplar

As a medicinal raw material, mainly black poplar buds are used, less often its leaves and bark. They are saturated with carbohydrates, resins, flavonoids, tannins, essential oils, salicin, populin, malic and ascorbic acid, alkaloids, carotenoids, isoprenoids and a number of other useful substances.

Due to this specific composition, they have a number of useful properties:

• anti-inflammatory;
• antimicrobial;
• wound healing;
• painkillers;
• soothing;
• antipyretic;
• antihistamines;
• diuretic;
• sweatshops;
• antiviral.

Bronchitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the genitourinary system, diarrhea, arthritis, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, tuberculosis, gout, and skin diseases are treated with drugs based on the buds and leaves of black poplar. They help fight chronic fatigue and nervous irritability., enhance immunity and performance.

Gallery: black poplar (25 photos)

Medicinal properties of black poplar (video)

Procurement and storage of medicinal raw materials

To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect, it is necessary to collect swollen, but still unblown buds. The collected raw materials are dried in a well-ventilated, cold room so that the buds do not bloom. They are laid out on a clean cloth or paper and periodically mixed. You can also use special dryers with a temperature of thirty-five degrees. Finished high-quality raw materials should have a greenish or yellowish-brown color.. Dried kidneys are scattered in glass jars with lids or paper bags and stored in a dark, dry place. Young leaves of black poplar are also dried and stored.

The use of black poplar in folk medicine

Various compositions are prepared from the buds, leaves and bark of black poplar, which are used to treat many diseases.

To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect, it is necessary to collect swollen, but still unblown buds.

Decoction

To prepare a decoction, brew 20 grams of poplar buds with 1 cup of boiling water and simmer for about 15 minutes over low heat. After the composition has cooled, it must be filtered and drunk 100 milliliters three times a day with insomnia, nervous tension, beriberi and loss of strength. They are also treated with polyarthritis, cystitis, colds, gout, joint diseases. In this case, a decoction can be prepared from 1 tablespoon of kidneys and 1 tablespoon of crushed poplar leaves.

Infusion

Alcoholic infusion of poplar buds is prepared from 100 grams of dry raw materials and 1 liter of vodka. The container with the composition must be infused in a dark place for at least two weeks. Use twenty drops in case of gout, sore joints, hemorrhoids, rheumatism. Also infusion can be used for rinsing the throat and mouth with sore throat, stomatitis and other diseases.

A decoction of black poplar buds is used for insomnia, nervous tension, vitamin deficiency and loss of strength.

oily liquid

Take 500 grams of kidneys and 50 grams of any vegetable oil and mix thoroughly. Put the resulting composition in a saucepan and simmer on a warm stove for 15 minutes. Filter the cooled extract and drink 1 tablespoon three times a day as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urolithiasis. You can treat a runny nose or sinusitis by dripping 3 drops into both nostrils. With cervical erosion, it is used for tampons.

Ointment

Grind 30 grams of dried black poplar buds and combine them with 3 tablespoons of melted pork or goose fat, you can also take butter. Put the ointment in a glass container, place in the refrigerator and store for a month. This ointment treats varicose veins, joint diseases, gout, skin diseases. Also it is used to accelerate the healing of boils, wounds and burns.

Long shelf life ointment

Combine 2 tablespoons of poplar buds, 2 tablespoons of crushed young leaves and 5 tablespoons of melted lard. Fill an earthen pot with the resulting mixture, close it with a piece of dough and keep it in the oven at a temperature of 120 degrees for about twelve hours. Pour the cooled ointment into glass containers and store in the refrigerator.

The benefits or harms of black poplar in the city (video)

Baths

To prepare a bath, you need to steam 50 grams of kidneys with 500 milliliters of water and boil on a warm stove for 10 minutes. Next, you need to let the broth brew for at least three hours, filter and pour into the bath. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes. Such baths are recommended for hemorrhoids, as well as a sedative. You can add a small amount of young crushed poplar leaves to the buds.

Hair treatment

Combine 20 grams of poplar buds with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and insist for a month. After that, the resulting solution is applied to the scalp a few hours before washing. The procedure is carried out several times a week for a month. This help prevent hair loss stimulate their growth, improve hair structure, make them smooth and shiny.

Medicinal tea

Take 20 grams of dry poplar leaves and the same amount of black tea, pour 500 milliliters of hot water and leave for about 15 minutes. After the time has passed, drink like regular tea. Such the drink allows you to quickly get rid of a headache, and also enrich the body with useful substances.

The buds and leaves of black poplar are an excellent remedy with a minimum of contraindications.

bark decoction

Steam 20 grams of poplar bark with 250 milliliters of hot water and sweat in a water bath for 10 minutes. After the time has elapsed, the broth should be cooled and filtered. Drink 50 milliliters of decoction three times a day with diarrhea. After the problem disappears, stop taking the composition so as not to cause constipation.

Perhaps one of the most common plants in our area is poplar. It is difficult to imagine a settlement in which they would not be. Poplars are widely used for landscaping cities. For many, this tree is associated with down, which covers the streets during the flowering period and causes allergies in especially sensitive people. Children are especially susceptible to it.

Plant characteristic

As a fairly large tree, poplar looks good both in urban landscapes and in its natural environment. It can reach a height of 60 meters, but most often poplars grow up to 30-40 m. These trees are deciduous, and the shape of the crown depends on the species. There are poplars with a spherical, ovoid and pyramidal top. The roots occupy a large area and are located superficially. The wood is light and soft, and the bark is usually gray in color with cracks.

Most varieties of poplars are dioecious. They begin to bloom in the spring - even before the foliage appears. Leaves are arranged on a branch in a spiral. Poplar leaf in most cases has an ordinary oval shape with a pointed tip. Autumn poplar is a tree with beautiful golden or yellow foliage.

Inflorescences form catkins, which are pollinated by wind. And at the beginning of summer, fruits ripen - the so-called boxes. They contain seeds, at the base of which there are bundles of thin white hairs. When seeds begin to disperse from the seed pod, a lot of white fluff can be observed that is carried in the air. Since many people are allergic to such fluff, it is recommended to use only male specimens for landscaping.

Poplars grow very fast, which is why they are so popular in urban gardening. But this tree is short-lived and pleases the eye no more than 70-80 years, sometimes even less, because its wood is susceptible to various fungal infections.

The genus of poplars includes more than 90 species. They may differ in structure, height, shape and pattern of foliage. All of them are grouped into six main sections:

And there are also hybrid species that appeared by natural crossing of different types of poplars or thanks to the efforts of dendrologists. In nature, this tree can be found where there is high soil moisture, for example, near rivers and reservoirs in regions with a temperate climate. Due to its ability to fight pathogenic microbes and enrich the air with phytoncides, as well as the ability to take root on almost any soil, poplars began to be used for planting in parks and city squares. The most famous varieties are:

• balsamic,
• pyramidal,
• deltoid,
• bay leaf,
• fragrant,
• trembling,
• berlin,
• Chinese,
• Euroamerican Robusta,
• Canadian,
• black,
• white.

This species is native to the USA and also grows in Canada. It usually happens in height up to 25-30 m, and the thickness of the trunk reaches up to 2 meters. The species is widely used in cultivation, as it is easy to propagate by stem cuttings, resistant to frost and able to take root well in a gassed and dusty environment. In order for the tree to grow well and not be damaged by insects and phytopathogens, the best place for planting will be a well-lit area with shallow groundwater and good drainage. But even on compacted soils that are contaminated with heavy metals, this species will also take root.

pyramidal view

This type of poplar is also called Italian. The tree grows up to 40 meters. In the first 10 years after planting, it gives great growth, especially if there are neutral, moderately moist soils under it. Demanding on light, grows slowly in partial shade and becomes more susceptible to diseases and pests. Propagated not only by seeds, but also with the help of cuttings and root shoots, which is very good, since the seeds quickly lose their germination.

It is an excellent option for urban landscaping. It is worth noting what kind of crown he has: wide at the bottom and tapering upward.

deltoid type

Another type of poplar comes from North America. Found in the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. It can reach a height of up to 50 meters. If it grows in favorable conditions, it quickly grows in height and by the ninth year after planting it can reach a height of 30 meters. Deltoid poplar is a hardy tree, it tolerates both frosts and sharp fluctuations in temperature, but is weakly resistant to strong gusts of wind. Due to the peculiarities of the root system, it can break quite easily.

Laurel variety

Widespread throughout almost all of Siberia and China. It grows on the slopes of mountains and in floodplains of rivers. It takes root well on any soil, even on sand and pebble deposits. It usually reaches a height of 20 meters. It grows slowly, but it is able to endure even the most severe winter. Under good landing conditions, it has a lush crown. Most often planted for landscaping roadsides due to its good resistance to smoke and gases. Not recommended for planting in southern regions with dry, poor soils.

fragrant poplar

The birthplace of this poplar is Eastern Siberia and the Far East, it is found in China and Mongolia. Usually grows up to 15-20 meters. It is widely used for landscaping cities in the northern regions, as this species can tolerate harsh winters.

The crown is lush, oval. It can grow on any soil, as long as it is well moistened. During prolonged droughts, the tree may die. The flowering period begins simultaneously with the blooming of young foliage. Forms resinous fragrant catkins that exude a pleasant aroma and disinfect the air. In culture, it is used for landscaping parks and reservoirs, but in urban conditions this species is short-lived, as it is susceptible to diseases and pests. And in places of natural growth can live up to 200-300 years.

Trembling Aspen

This type of poplar is best known as aspen. Naturally grows almost throughout Europe and Central Asia. It tolerates winters well. Aspen prefers fertile soils with shallow groundwater. When planted on acidic or dry sandy soils, it is highly susceptible to disease and does not take root well. In height it can reach up to 35 meters. Aspen is more often found in natural plantations than in urban areas, due to the peculiarity of the wood of this species, which is highly susceptible to diseases.

Territorial division

There are several species that bear the name of certain areas where one or another type of tree is most common.

Berlin poplar - a hybrid that was bred from laurel and black. Not found in the wild, but often used for landscaping. After disembarkation quickly adds to the growth. Undemanding to the composition of the soil and can grow even in places with excessive moisture. Resistant to severe frosts.

It has a dense cylindrical crown that tolerates pruning and shaping well. It reaches a height of up to 35 meters. Berlin poplar is widely used for landscaping in parks, near water bodies and along streets. Due to its durable and hard wood, it is also used in the construction of houses.

Chinese- low, among poplars, a tree. It usually reaches a height of 10-15 meters. Distributed throughout Asia, especially in China. This species, also called Simon's poplar, tolerates different temperature regimes well - from drought to severe frosts. However, it grows best in well-drained soil. From a distance, it resembles a birch due to hanging branches and a light shade of bark. Chinese poplar is often used in landscaping, more suitable for creating hedges. This species has rather fragile branches that can break in snowfall or strong winds.

Euroamerican Robusta It turned out as a result of natural hybridization of deltoid and black poplar. Usually reaches a height of 30-35 meters. This hybrid is very photophilous and does not tolerate shade, but is not very picky about the soil.

Grows best in moist, rich soils with close groundwater. Not particularly resistant to frost, but copes well with gas and smoke. The branches are fragile and can break off due to strong winds. Does well in urban environments.

Canadian hybrid can reach a height of 40 meters. It is characterized by a lush oval crown, which makes this species one of the first in decorative landscaping. It is good for planting in cities, as it grows quickly, easily tolerates environmental pollution and is resistant to mild frosts. Pleases with its foliage even in late autumn. Rarely exposed to various diseases and pests. This species is demanding on the soil - it is important that it be well-drained and lit.

Types by color

Other types of poplars were named based on the color of their bark.

Black under natural conditions distributed in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It can often be found on the territory of Russia and Ukraine. The tree is large, 20-30 meters high. Life expectancy can reach 300 years.

Black poplar, or black poplar, is demanding on light, but can easily grow on poor soils with little moisture. Resistant to both frost and drought. Valuable for landscaping in cities, as it perfectly cleans the air from dust and releases oxygen. In addition, its wood is used for the production of building materials, household utensils and various other products. And from the kidneys, an essential oil is obtained, which is used in the perfume industry.

White. Usually it is a 30-meter tree that can live up to 400 years. Distributed in Europe and Central Asia. White poplar, or silver poplar, grows best on light soils with close groundwater. Resistant to frost and flooding, but does not tolerate drought.

It is often used for landscaping in cities, as its growth can be controlled and the top can be trimmed to the desired shape. White poplars are most often used for landscaping in large parks, as well as in single and group plantings. It has a powerful root system, and thanks to this, they can strengthen slopes, ravines and river banks.

Wood application

Although many are accustomed to the fact that poplars are often used for landscaping cities, this tree also has other uses. Its wood is widely used in industry, it is used to make:

• matches,
• paper,
• plywood
• timber for building houses,
• charcoal.

In landscaping, the popularity of poplar is due to the fact that it is able to release a lot of oxygen and fight air pollution by cleaning it from smoke and gas. Some types of poplar are useful for the perfume and paint industries, for example, yellow paint can be obtained from the leaves.

The well-known poplar has a different application, and each species has its own characteristics. An interesting fact is the use of the core of the tree for baking bread during the war years, when there were problems with food and hunger had to be fought. Another unique feature of this tree is the ability to change its gender, you can often find descriptions of cases when female earrings appear on a male plant. Usually this is due to unfavorable ecology.