Scientific Name: Populus alba
Common Name: white poplar, silver poplar
Family Name: Salicaceae
Origin: Africa, Europe
Hardiness Zone: Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Plant Type: Invasive plant, Tree - deciduous
Mature Size: 22 - 30m x 10 - 15m (height x width)
Habit: Dense, Open, Spreading, Upright
Form: Oval - vertical
Texture: Coarse
Landscape Uses: Screening, Shade tree, Summer interest, Tall background, Wind break, Woodland margin
Exposure: Full sun
Soil or Media: Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Lobed, Alternate, Leathery, Heavily veined, Tomentose, Ovate, Other, Pinnately lobed, Serrate
Flowers: Catkin (ament), Red, Mar-Apr
Fruit: Capsule, White, Brown, May-Jun
Key ID Features:
Tree trunk with diamond-shaped, dark lenticels on gray-white bark; leaves alternate, shape irregular to 5 lobed, most ovate, 5-8cm long x 4-7cm wide, turning dark-green above as pubescence is lost, silvery white & hairy underside (cashmere-like), leaves turn yellow in autumn; male catkins red, <8cm.long, pendent, early spring; female catkins green, <5cm long. Winter ID: bark pattern; zig-zagged twigs and buds with dense grey pubescence.