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Populus
Populus
Populus
Populus
Populus (Populus)
Populus are deciduous plants that are native to North America. These fast-growing trees produce seeds with a cotton-like texture that are easily dispersed by the wind and carried for long distances. This natural disbursal process is beneficial as populus acclimate themselves to many different environments and provides shade and shelter in areas where tree growth is needed.
Lifespan
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Plant Type
Tree
info

Key Facts About Populus

Attributes of Populus

Plant Height
12 m
Spread
8 m
Flower Color
White
Leaf type
Deciduous
Ideal Temperature
0 - 25 ℃

Scientific Classification of Populus

distribution

Distribution of Populus

Distribution Map of Populus

distribution map
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
habit
care detail

How to Grow and Care for Populus

how to grow and care
Populus are a hardy variety that demand uncomplicated attention. Basic care for these tall and stately trees requires full sun exposure, abundant water supply, and well-draining, fertile soil. The optimal temperature range lies between 30-85°F. Populus tend to be pest resistant but can potentially suffer from poplar borers, aphids, and leaf beetles. Diseases like leaf spots, canker, and rust may also occur. Seasonal care for these deciduous trees involves pruning in late winter before new growth appears and ensuring adequate moisture during warm, dry summers.
More Info About Caring for Populus
species

Exploring the Populus Plants

8 most common species:
Populus nigra
Black poplar
Black poplar (Populus nigra) is a medium- to large-sized deciduous tree which can be naturally found in many alluvial European forests. It is a fast-growing tree, with a wide crown which is a common nesting place for different species of birds. Due to the degradation of its natural habitat, black poplar has become an endangered species in certain areas.
Populus alba
White poplar
White poplar (*Populus alba*) is a popular tree native to Morocco and Central Europe. White poplar is also called the silver poplar and the silverleaf poplar. White poplar grows in moist soils in areas with temperate climates. This tree is easy to carve and thus used for sculpture in China and Europe.
Populus deltoides
Eastern cottonwood
Eastern cottonwood is a fast-growing, short-lived commercial hardwood of America. It is known for its method of regeneration, where the fluff-covered seeds are dispersed by the wind and create the effect of ‘snow’ for a short period of time. The tree is cultivated for its lightweight wood to make a variety of furniture, plywood, and other wood products.
Populus tremuloides
Quaking aspen
Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is a tree native to North America also commonly referred to as the trembling aspen or the golden aspen. Quaking aspen is the state tree of Utah in the United States. In the wild, quaking aspen attracts quail, beavers, rabbits, deer, sheep, and goats.
Populus tremula
European aspen
European aspen (Populus tremula) is a poplar tree species native to Europe, Asia, and Iceland. It's a dioecious species, which means that individual flowers are either female or male. However, only flowers of a single-sex are found on each individual plant. The tree depends on the wind for pollination.
Populus balsamifera
Balsam poplar
Balsam poplar is a hardy, fast-growing tree. It’s the northernmost North American hardwood. Its buds have a delightful fragrance reminiscent of a balsam fir. The wood is relatively soft and is used for pulp in the papermaking process. The resinous sap that oozes from its buds is used by bees as a hive disinfectant.
Populus fremontii
Fremont cottonwood
Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) is fast-growing and hardy deciduous tree that is considered easy to cultivate. Fremont cottonwood requires plenty of water and is most commonly found along streams, rivers and wetland areas.
Populus balsamifera subsp. trichocarpa
Black cottonwood
Black cottonwood is the largest species of poplar grown in the Americas. This quick-growing tree is prized for its fragrant foliage and is often grown as an ornamental. However, its roots can be invasive and disrupt building foundations.

All Species of Populus

Black poplar
Populus nigra
Black poplar
Black poplar (Populus nigra) is a medium- to large-sized deciduous tree which can be naturally found in many alluvial European forests. It is a fast-growing tree, with a wide crown which is a common nesting place for different species of birds. Due to the degradation of its natural habitat, black poplar has become an endangered species in certain areas.
White poplar
Populus alba
White poplar
White poplar (*Populus alba*) is a popular tree native to Morocco and Central Europe. White poplar is also called the silver poplar and the silverleaf poplar. White poplar grows in moist soils in areas with temperate climates. This tree is easy to carve and thus used for sculpture in China and Europe.
Eastern cottonwood
Populus deltoides
Eastern cottonwood
Eastern cottonwood is a fast-growing, short-lived commercial hardwood of America. It is known for its method of regeneration, where the fluff-covered seeds are dispersed by the wind and create the effect of ‘snow’ for a short period of time. The tree is cultivated for its lightweight wood to make a variety of furniture, plywood, and other wood products.
Quaking aspen
Populus tremuloides
Quaking aspen
Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is a tree native to North America also commonly referred to as the trembling aspen or the golden aspen. Quaking aspen is the state tree of Utah in the United States. In the wild, quaking aspen attracts quail, beavers, rabbits, deer, sheep, and goats.
European aspen
Populus tremula
European aspen
European aspen (Populus tremula) is a poplar tree species native to Europe, Asia, and Iceland. It's a dioecious species, which means that individual flowers are either female or male. However, only flowers of a single-sex are found on each individual plant. The tree depends on the wind for pollination.
Balsam poplar
Populus balsamifera
Balsam poplar
Balsam poplar is a hardy, fast-growing tree. It’s the northernmost North American hardwood. Its buds have a delightful fragrance reminiscent of a balsam fir. The wood is relatively soft and is used for pulp in the papermaking process. The resinous sap that oozes from its buds is used by bees as a hive disinfectant.
Fremont cottonwood
Populus fremontii
Fremont cottonwood
Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) is fast-growing and hardy deciduous tree that is considered easy to cultivate. Fremont cottonwood requires plenty of water and is most commonly found along streams, rivers and wetland areas.
Black cottonwood
Populus balsamifera subsp. trichocarpa
Black cottonwood
Black cottonwood is the largest species of poplar grown in the Americas. This quick-growing tree is prized for its fragrant foliage and is often grown as an ornamental. However, its roots can be invasive and disrupt building foundations.
Big-tooth aspen
Populus grandidentata
Big-tooth aspen
Big-tooth aspen (Populus grandidentata) is a deciduous tree that will grow from 18 to 24 m tall. It has a beautiful orange-green bark when young, which turns brown and furrowed with age. The oval-shaped leaves feature toothed-edges and change from green to yellow in fall. This is a dioecious species with separate male and female plants. Male flowers are tan colored, drooping catkins. Female flowers are smaller and develop seeds. Clonal trees can emerge from roots, making it easy to reforest after a fire. A variety of wildlife feed on the tree's leaves, bark, twigs and flower buds.
Carolina poplar
Populus canadensis
Carolina poplar
Carolina poplar is a cross between the Populus nigra and the Populus deltoides trees. It is a sturdy, massively columnar deciduous tree that is frequently utilized in landscaping by architects. Clogs, pallets, and other wooden goods are made from its wood.
Euphrates poplar
Populus euphratica
Euphrates poplar
Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica) is named for the river Euphrates, which lies at the heart of this plant's native range. This is an important tree that provides timber from its wood and food for livestock from its leaves. Euphrates poplar is also an important pioneer tree used in programs to reforest deserts and areas with saline soil.
Lombardy poplar
Populus nigra var. italica
Lombardy poplar
Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra var. italica) is a type of cottonwood tree native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The branches mainly grow upward rather than out away from the trunk. All examples of this variant are male clones of one another and are propagated for decorative purposes. Like most poplars, it grows quickly but has a relatively short lifespan.
Simon's poplar
Populus simonii
Simon's poplar
The simon's poplar is a tree up to 20 meters high with a narrow crown and a breast height of up to 50 centimeters. The stem bark of young trees is grayish green and later dark gray and furrowed. The branches are bare, reddish brown, thin and stalk-round; stronger shoots are often edged. The buds are brown, oblong, pointed and sticky.
Chinese white poplar
Populus tomentosa
Chinese white poplar
The wood pulp and timber of the chinese white poplar have been widely exploited commercially. These materials are used for construction, furniture, tools, and similar. The tree itself is very attractive, so it's regularly used in landscaping, as well.
Narrowleaf cottonwood
Populus angustifolia
Narrowleaf cottonwood
The tree is slim in profile, and can grow in tightly packed clusters. Its leaves are yellow-green, lanceolate (lance-shaped), and with scalloped margins. It produces catkins in the early spring. The fruiting capsules are fluffy and white.
Gray poplar
Populus canescens
Gray poplar
It is a very vigorous tree with marked hybrid vigour, reaching 40 m tall and with a trunk diameter over 1.5 m – much larger than either of its parents. Most trees in cultivation are male, but female trees occur naturally and some of these are also propagated.
White poplar 'Richardii'
Populus alba 'Richardii'
White poplar 'Richardii'
White poplar 'Richardii' is a white poplar that grows to just 12 m, far less than its parent's maximum height of 30 m. This beautiful tree is an ornamental garden favorite largely because of its two-colored yellow and green leaves, and the green or red catkins produced in early spring. This cultivar was named by its selector for the Latin form of the boys named Richard.
Korean aspen
Populus davidiana
Korean aspen
Korean aspen is a deciduous tree known for its resilience and adaptability, often found in Northeast Asia. It typically features a straight trunk and a broad, rounded crown with dark green leaves. These leaves, oval with pointed tips, turn yellow in the fall, adding seasonal interest. The bark is rough, providing a textural contrast in landscapes. Korean aspen's ability to thrive in cold climates and recover from environmental stresses makes it a hardy species in its native woodland habitats.
Japanese poplar
Populus maximowiczii
Japanese poplar
Populus suaveolens, called the Mongolian poplar, Korean poplar and Japanese poplar, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Populus, native to all of northern Asia, the Korean peninsula, the Kurils, and northern Japan. It is a tree reaching 30 m.
Populus suaveolens subsp. suaveolens
Populus suaveolens subsp. suaveolens
Populus suaveolens subsp. suaveolens
Populus suaveolens subsp. suaveolens is a deciduous tree characterized by its tall, sturdy trunk and a broad canopy of fluttering leaves, creating a graceful silhouette against the sky. Its bark is deeply fissured, providing a habitat for various species, while the leaves exhibit a subtle fragrance that becomes more noticeable in a breeze. This subspecies thrives in cool temperate climates, often forming majestic riverside stands that contribute to soil stabilization and ecosystem diversity.
Black poplar 'Italica'
Populus nigra 'Italica'
Black poplar 'Italica'
Black poplar 'Italica' is a tall poplar that grows 12 to 15 m in height that has a particularly upward-pointing branch growth pattern. This tall, slender cultivar is so named because it is the most famous style of poplar from northern Italy.
popular genus

More Popular Genus

Dracaena
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Ficus
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Rubus
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Acer
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Solanum
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Rosa
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Quercus
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Populus
Populus
Populus
Populus
Populus
Populus
Populus
Populus
Populus are deciduous plants that are native to North America. These fast-growing trees produce seeds with a cotton-like texture that are easily dispersed by the wind and carried for long distances. This natural disbursal process is beneficial as populus acclimate themselves to many different environments and provides shade and shelter in areas where tree growth is needed.
Lifespan
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Plant Type
Tree
info

Key Facts About Populus

Attributes of Populus

Plant Height
12 m
Spread
8 m
Flower Color
White
Leaf type
Deciduous
Ideal Temperature
0 - 25 ℃

Scientific Classification of Populus

distribution

Distribution of Populus

Distribution Map of Populus

distribution map
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
care detail

How to Grow and Care for Populus

Populus are a hardy variety that demand uncomplicated attention. Basic care for these tall and stately trees requires full sun exposure, abundant water supply, and well-draining, fertile soil. The optimal temperature range lies between 30-85°F. Populus tend to be pest resistant but can potentially suffer from poplar borers, aphids, and leaf beetles. Diseases like leaf spots, canker, and rust may also occur. Seasonal care for these deciduous trees involves pruning in late winter before new growth appears and ensuring adequate moisture during warm, dry summers.
More Info About Caring for Populus
species

Exploring the Populus Plants

8 most common species:
Populus nigra
Black poplar
Black poplar (Populus nigra) is a medium- to large-sized deciduous tree which can be naturally found in many alluvial European forests. It is a fast-growing tree, with a wide crown which is a common nesting place for different species of birds. Due to the degradation of its natural habitat, black poplar has become an endangered species in certain areas.
Populus alba
White poplar
White poplar (*Populus alba*) is a popular tree native to Morocco and Central Europe. White poplar is also called the silver poplar and the silverleaf poplar. White poplar grows in moist soils in areas with temperate climates. This tree is easy to carve and thus used for sculpture in China and Europe.
Populus deltoides
Eastern cottonwood
Eastern cottonwood is a fast-growing, short-lived commercial hardwood of America. It is known for its method of regeneration, where the fluff-covered seeds are dispersed by the wind and create the effect of ‘snow’ for a short period of time. The tree is cultivated for its lightweight wood to make a variety of furniture, plywood, and other wood products.
Populus tremuloides
Quaking aspen
Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is a tree native to North America also commonly referred to as the trembling aspen or the golden aspen. Quaking aspen is the state tree of Utah in the United States. In the wild, quaking aspen attracts quail, beavers, rabbits, deer, sheep, and goats.
Show More Species

All Species of Populus

popular genus

More Popular Genus

Dracaena
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Ficus
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Rubus
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Acer
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Solanum
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Rosa
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Quercus
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
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80+ scholars in botany and gardening
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