Poplar, Lombardy
Populus nigra 'Italica'
Salicaceae - Willow

Description

See also Eastern Cottonwood description and illustrations.

Leaves: Similar to eastern cottonwood.

Twigs/buds: Twigs brown, shiny; thin, and round; tips often hairy. Buds reddish-brown, hairless, shiny; relatively small, appressed, and gummy; lower scales often hairy.

Flowers/fruit: Flowers are male catkins, 1" to 2" in length, with crimson anthers; occur before leaves. Fruitless.

Bark: Grayish-green and smooth when young; darker gray, fissured, and rough with age.

Wood: Weak, prone to breakage; soft, light, and not durable; little information available.

General: Native to western Asia and eastern Europe, but heavily planted in Utah, especially in the past. A sterile clone of Populus nigra. May be insect and/or disease prone, especially when stressed. Prefers abundant water. Rarely should be planted, though limited use in specific situations may be justified.

Landscape Use: Once popular in Utah because of its narrow canopy and upright form. However, stressed trees weaken and die quickly (within 5 to 15 years) due to stem cankers. Twigs break off in wind storms. Fall color occasionally nice in Utah. Grows fast, short-lived. Should be planted less, if at all. Zones 3-9.

Cultivars: 'Afghanica', 'Charkowensis', 'Fastigiata', 'Gigantea', 'Lombardy Gold', 'Majestic', 'Pyramidalis', 'Thevestina'.

Characteristics

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