Populus nigra

RHS Plant Profile

black poplar

Other common names

poplysen ddu

Trees

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A large, deciduous tree with a rounded habit and gnarled, furrowed bark, to 20m tall, with glossy, diamond-shaped green foliage. Female trees have yellow-green catkins which appear before the leaves open in early spring and are pollinated by the wind. They are followed by copious fluffy seeds. Male trees have red catkins. Tolerates exposed sites and waterlogged soils so a good choice for shelterbelts, woodlands and parks. A declining species and an endangered tree in the UK

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Size

Time to Maturity: 20–50 years

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Poorly–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H7

Botanical Details

Family: Salicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: Populus are deciduous trees, mostly very fast-growing and large, with male and female catkins on separate trees, opening before the leaves. Male catkins are the more ornamental, female ones can be a nuisance from the cottony, wind-blown seeds
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Europe, SW Asia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in poorly drained, or moist but well-drained soil. Its size, vigour and ability to spread by suckers give it the potential to become a nuisance in a garden situation if not managed well

Propagation

Propagate from hardwood cuttings in winter or suckers in autumn or late winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Coastal
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 1; sucker removal in autumn or winter

Pests

May be susceptible to leaf beetles, sawflies and caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to leaf spots, poplar bacterial canker, tree rusts and honey fungus