Poplar (white)

Do you want to plant a Poplar (white)? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the Poplar (white), and on pruning and caring for your Poplar (white).
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General characteristics of a Poplar (white)

The white poplar (Populus alba), also known as the silver poplar, is a tree in the willow family (Salicaceae). The plant is native to Central and Southern Europe and Central and Western Asia. It has been present in the Netherlands since the 17th century. The tree is a fast grower that requires ample space and is prone to broken branches.

The tree is easily recognized by its bark and leaves. The bark is white-gray with characteristic black diamond-shaped markings. As it matures, the bark on the underside of the trunk turns black. The leaves of this white poplar are green on top and white and felty on the underside.

The white poplar is dioecious, meaning that there are trees with only male flowers and trees with only female flowers. It flowers in March and April, before the leaves emerge. Female drooping catkins are yellow. The male ones are red. After the pollen has blown away, they fall off. The female ones remain on the tree for a longer period. Then the seed pods open, releasing the seeds surrounded by downy fluff.

Characteristics


How to plant a Poplar (white)

The white poplar is usually supplied as self-rooting "slits" of 1-3 m in length. Plant them as deep as possible, 40-60 cm into the soil, preferably until the soil is moist, ideally from mid-February to the end of March. There is less chance of them taking root in November or December. Transplanting rootstock is also possible.

How to harvest a Poplar (white)

There are two ways to harvest white poplar. Gather rootstock around mature trees or prune branches for shoots.

Caring for and pruning your Poplar (white)

Like other poplars, the grey poplar often suffers from broken branches later in life. Removing overloaded branches in time can help prevent this to some extent.

Where does a Poplar (white) grow

(Dune) sand because of its good resistance to sea air. The tree is often planted as an avenue tree and along roads. You can also regularly find the white poplar in parks. In the wild, the tree grows on dune edges and the edges of river valleys.


General

Origin
Alien
Tree Type Deciduous tree

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 7 Up to 9 Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years 25 Up to 100 year
Maximum Age 60 Up to 80 year
Required Space 15 Up to 20m2
Growth Rate

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating No
Reproduction Method
Makes root suckers
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen No
Summer July tot September
Winter January tot February
Leaf Shapes Other
Easy to prune No

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Lenticels Yes
Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position
Varied
Bud Shape
Round

Other

Root
Broad root system
Bloom
Has catkins
Wind sensitivity Not sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases
Not particularly susceptible to any specific disease

Harvest/recognition in winter

The white poplar produces a lot of rootstock. A mature tree has diamond-shaped lenticels in the bark. The buds are usually light brown to reddish-brown, elongated and pointed with white woolly hairs, and are arranged alternately on the branches.

Light requirement of the Poplar (white)

The Poplar (white) thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade

    • Suitable soil types for the Poplar (white)

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Poplar (white) to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the Poplar (white)

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Poplar (white) in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the Poplar (white)

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does Poplar (white) like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant? 4
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Butterflies
    Lice
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant?
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Squirrels
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer March Up to April

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Goat
    Chicken
    Cow
    Human
    Horse
    Sheep
    Pig
    Badgers
    Squirrel
    Beavers
    Ferret
    Herbivorous rodents
    Deer
    Dog
    Cat
    Mouse
    Roe deer
    Foxes
    Wild boar

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average
    After 10 year m m
    After 20 year m m
    After 30 year m m
    After 80 year m m

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average
    After 10 year 3 cm 5 cm
    After 20 year cm cm
    After 30 year cm cm
    After 80 year cm cm

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg
    After 10 year cm cm
    After 20 year cm cm
    After 30 year cm cm
    After 80 year cm cm

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg
    After 10 year cm cm
    After 20 year cm cm
    After 30 year cm cm
    After 80 year cm cm

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    Particulate matter

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). No
    Particulate matter

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree Poplar (white) looks like

    The bark of the white poplar tree
    The white poplar - mature tree in summer
    White poplar in winter

    This is what a Poplar (white) in bloom looks like

    The masculin catkin of the white poplar tree
    The feminin catkin of the white poplar tree

    This is what the bud of a Poplar (white) looks like

    Buds of the white poplar tree
    A bud of the white poplar tree

    This is what the leaf of a Poplar (white) looks like

    Leaf of the white poplar tree