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Common Name: White Poplar

General Information

Populus alba is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 20.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

C. Europe to Asia. Frequently planted in Britain but not naturalized[].

Habitat

Woods and watersides[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

An easily grown plant, it does well in a heavy cold damp soil[]. Prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain[, ]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[]. This species thrives on drier soils than other members of the genus[]. It does not do well in exposed upland sites[] but it is tolerant of maritime exposure, though it can be wind pruned in such a situation[, ]. Dislikes shade, it is intolerant of root or branch competition[]. Tolerates both hot and cool summers[].
A very ornamental tree, it is fast-growing but fairly short-lived[, , ]. There are several named varieties[].
An important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterflies[].
The leaf buds are resinous and exude an aromatic perfume in the spring[].
Poplars have very extensive and aggressive root systems that can invade and damage drainage systems. Especially when grown on clay soils, they should not be planted within 12 metres of buildings since the root system can damage the building's foundations by drying out the soil[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - rich in Vitamin C[].
Inner bark - dried, ground into a powder and added to flour for making bread[, ]. A famine food, it is only used when all else fails[].

Medicinal

The stem bark is anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, diuretic and tonic[, , , , ]. The bark contains salicylates, from which the proprietary medicine aspirin is derived[]. It is used internally in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, lower back pains, urinary complaints, digestive and liver disorders, debility, anorexia, also to reduce fevers and relieve the pain of menstrual cramps[, , , , , ]. Externally, the bark is used to treat chilblains, haemorrhoids, infected wounds and sprains[]. The bark is harvested from side branches or coppiced trees and dried for later use[].
The leaves are used in the treatment of caries of teeth and bones[].
The twigs are depurative[].

Other Uses

An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day[].
A fairly wind resistant tree, it can be grown as part of a shelterbelt planting[].
A yellow dye is obtained from the bark[].
Wood - rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion, very light, soft, elastic. It is used for less good quality purposes such as making matches, packing materials etc[, , , , , ].

Propagation

Seed - must be sown as soon as it is ripe in spring[]. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening[]. Surface sow or just lightly cover the seed in trays in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the cold frame. If sufficient growth is made, it might be possible to plant them out in late summer into their permanent positions, otherwise keep them in the cold frame until the following late spring and then plant them out. This species does not often produce viable seed in Britain[]. Most poplar species hybridize freely with each other, so the seed may not come true unless it is collected from the wild in areas with no other poplar species growing[].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 20 - 40cm long, late autumn in a sheltered outdoor bed or direct into their permanent positions. Very easy.
Suckers in early spring[].