Populus 'Balsam Spire'
Tacatricho 32
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Populus genus in the family Salicaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Salicaceae
- Genus
- Populus
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Growth rate
- vigorous
- Height
- 30 m
- Fertility
- Self sterile, Wind
- Flower type
- dioecious
- Pollinators
- Wind
Uses
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The leaf buds are covered with a resinous sap that has a strong turpentine odour and a bitter taste[8]. They also contain salicin, The buds are antiscorbutic, antiseptic, balsamic, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant and tonic[10][7][12][4][9]. They are taken internally in the treatment of bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections. They should not be prescribed to patients who are sensitive to aspirin[9]. Externally, the buds are used to treat colds, sinusitis, arthritis, rheumatism, muscular pain and dry skin conditions[9]. They can be put in hot water and used as an inhalant to relieve congested nasal passages[8]. The buds are harvested in the spring before they open and are dried for later use[9]. Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, the bark of most, if not all members of the genus contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body[8][9]. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps[9].
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
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[5]. The dried buds are used in pot-pourri[9]. Wood - soft, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion. Of low quality, it is mainly used as a source of pulp[2][11].
Environment
- Range
- A hybrid, P. balsamifera x P. trichocarpa.
- Habitat
- Not known in the wild.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - must be sown as soon as it is ripe in spring[3]. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening[6]. 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. 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[2]. This species is a hybrid and will not come true from seed. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 20 - 40cm long, November/December in a sheltered outdoor bed or direct into their permanent positions. Very easy, the cuttings grow away strongly and can be 2 metres tall by the end of their first year[K]. Suckers in early spring[13].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An easily grown plant, it grows well in a heavy cold damp soil[1]. It prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain[2][6]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[2]. Reasonably wind tolerant, though it does not do well in exposed upland sites or in maritime exposure[11, K]. It dislikes shady positions, and is intolerant of root or branch competition[6]. A very fast growing hybrid, this plant is a female clone that is sometimes planted for forestry[2]. It comes into leaf early in the year[2]. 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[2]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009
Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00