Practical
Plants

Populus nigra

Black Poplar

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
30 m
Spread
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 - dried, ground then added to flour and used for making bread etc[12]. A famine food, used when all else fails[9].

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 leaf buds are covered with a resinous sap that has a strong turpentine odour and a bitter taste[21][15]. They also contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body[15]. The buds are antiscorbutic, antiseptic, balsamic, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, salve, stimulant, tonic and vulnerary[21][25][14][6][18]. They are taken internally in the treatment of bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections, stomach and kidney disorders[21][18]. They should not be prescribed to patients who are sensitive to aspirin[18]. Externally, the buds are used to treat colds, sinusitis, arthritis, rheumatism, muscular pain and dry skin conditions[18]. They can be put in hot water and used as an inhalant to relieve congested nasal passages[15]. The buds are harvested in the spring before they open and are dried for later use[18]. The stem bark is anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, diuretic and tonic[5][22][23][10][16]. The bark contains salicylates, from which the proprietary medicine aspirin is derived[18]. 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[5][22][23][10][15][18]. Externally, the bark is used to treat chilblains, haemorrhoids, infected wounds and sprains[18]. The bark is harvested from side branches or coppiced trees and dried for later use[18].

Product or use
Alterative
Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Antiinflammatory
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
Vulnerary

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[8]. A fast growing tree, it is often used to provide a quick screen or windbreak[13]. The cultivar 'Italica' is commonly used for this purpose though it is not a very suitable choice because it has fragile branches and is prone to basal rots which can cause sudden collapse[13]. The cultivar 'Plantierensis' is much more suitable[13]. A resin obtained from the buds is made into a salve and used in home remedies[22]. The bark is used as a cork substitute for floats etc[4]. Wood - very soft, very light, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, easy to work, very resistant to abrasion. Used for lower quality purposes[2][22][23][4][17].

Product or use
Cork
Product or use
Rooting hormone
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
Central and southern Europe, including Britain, Mediterranean, temperate Asia to the Himalayas.
Habitat
Moist ground in woods and by streams[25][7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 2+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind
Wind
Yes
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[13]. 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 old 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]. 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. Suckers in early spring[24]. This species rarely produces suckers[18].

Cultivation

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

A very 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[2][13]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[2]. It is fairly wind tolerant, though it does not do well in exposed upland sites, or in maritime exposure[11, K]. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition[13]. A fast-growing tree, reaching maturity in about 100 years and declining thereafter[11]. There are several named varieties that have been selected mainly for their ornamental value[2]. The leaf buds, as they swell in the spring, and the young leaves have a pleasing fragrance of balsam[19]. The fragrance is especially pronounced as the leaves unfold[19]. Very tolerant of hard pruning, the trees have often been pollarded in the past[11]. Plants seldom produce suckers[11]. An important food plant for the caterpillars of several species of butterfly[20]. 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

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

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

    ↩

  4. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩1↩2

  5. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

    ↩1↩2

  6. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

  7. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  8. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

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  9. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  10. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩1↩2

  11. Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  13. 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

  14. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  16. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

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  17. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10

  19. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2

  20. Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan 1982-00-00 ISBN 0-330-26642-x

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

  25. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2

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