Practical
Plants

Populus grandidentata

Canadian Aspen

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Populus genus in the family Salicaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Populus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
20 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Wind
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Inner bark - boiled[17][19][2][6][14]. There are no more details but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread.

Plant part
Inner bark

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 bark of most, if not all members of the genus contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body[9][13]. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory, febrifuge and tonic[15][13]. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps[13]. An infusion of the bark has been used to ease and lessen menstrual flow[14].

Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Antiinflammatory
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An excellent pioneer species, establishing well and growing quickly. It provides good growing conditions for other woodland trees. Since this species is intolerant of shade, it will eventually be out-competed by the other trees[11]. Wood - soft, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion[3][19][7]. It weighs 29lb per cubic foot[12]. Used mainly for pulp, it makes a high quality paper[3][19][5][7].

Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
North-eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to Manitoba, south to North Carolina.
Habitat
Rich moist sandy soils near streams and the borders of swamps from sea level to 900 metres[16][11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, 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[4]. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening[8]. 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[3]. Cuttings of mature wood in November/December in a sheltered outdoor bed. This species does not root readily from cuttings[8]. Suckers in early spring[20]. Layering in spring[8]. Root cuttings in the winter[8]

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown plant, it does well in a heavy cold damp soil[1]. Prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain[3][8]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[3]. It does not do well in exposed upland sites[3]. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition[8]. A fast-growing but short-lived tree[11], it does not appear to thrive in Britain[3], though it is extensively planted for timber in Austria[18]. Trees usually produce suckers and form large thickets in the wild[10]. This species is closely related to P. tremula[1]. 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[3]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[8].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  4. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  5. ? Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th edition.

    ↩

  6. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

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  7. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  9. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩

  10. Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0889025649

    ↩

  11. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  13. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3

  14. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  15. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  16. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  17. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  18. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

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  19. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2↩3

  20. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

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