Populus nigra Betulifolia (Native Black Poplar)
| Price £ each (ex. VAT) | ||||
| Height | Age | 25+ | 100+ | 500+ |
| 60-80cm | 0+1 | 0.98 | 0.59 | 0.54 |
| 80-100cm | 0+1 | 1.45 | 0.84 | 0.79 |
Delivery
Bareroot from November to April
Prices
The prices above are offered as a guide and may be subject to fluctuation dependant upon the time of season and supply. We recommend that contact is made with the office for larger orders, a quotation and to check availability Alternatively please contact us to enquire about opening a wholesale account.
As Britain’s rarest native tree, it is now recognised that the Black Poplar needs immediate positive action to prevent any further decline in numbers. A large, fast-growing, broad-headed tree, it was once common on flood plains and in river valleys, but the destruction of habitat and hybridisation with other species has meant that this ecologically important tree is now seriously endangered.
Site and soil
Deep rich soil in damp river valleys. Full sun or part shade; tolerant of chalky soils.
Height and spread
After 10 years: 10m x 4m
After 20 years: 17m x 9m
Leaf and bark
The leaves are diamond-shaped and 10cm long. They are glossy, opening with a bronze tint in spring, darkening to a glossy dark green before turning yellow in autumn. The bark is very dark brown, almost black, and deeply fissured. The trunk is heavily burred.
Flower, seed and fruit
The flowers are catkins, borne on the tree in mid spring. Male catkins are red, the females green, the females ripening to fluffy seedheads in summer. The Black Poplar is dioecious – male and female flowers are borne on separate trees.
Uses
Woodland, wildlife, specimen tree. Black Poplar timber is very light, but strong, and is shock absorbent and resists heat and splintering well. It has been used to make clogs, matches, toys, artificial limbs, wagons and rifle butts. The bark has been used as a cork substitute for floats; in times of famine, the inner bark was dried and ground as flour. The young shoots can be treated to produce a hormone rooting aid for cuttings.
Wildlife
Over 20 species of moth feed on the leaves of the Black Poplar, including the Poplar Hawk Moth and the Bordered Beauty. Studies are being carried out on its potential importance in flood management.
Pruning
The Black Poplar is not usually pruned, but broken branches should be tidied back to a clean cut as soon as possible.
