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Trees

Populus alba

white poplar

A spreading, deciduous tree with a broad crown, suckering freely. Rounded leaves are deeply-lobed, dark green on top and white and downy underneath. Young shoots and leaves are completely white and hairy; yellow autumn colour. In spring, male catkins are red and female, green

Other common names

abbey
abele
see moreDutch beech
silver-leaved poplar
white asp

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Ultimate height

Higher than 12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

Wider than 8 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Poorly–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Salicaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Populus are deciduous trees, mostly very fast-growing and large, with male and female catkins on separate trees, opening before the leaves. Male catkins are the more ornamental, female ones can be a nuisance from the cottony, wind-blown seeds
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Europe to C Asia

How to grow

Cultivation

Cultivated for their very rapid growth as specimen trees and useful for windbreaks. Tolerant of any soil other than constantly waterlogged soils. Avoid growing within 40m of buildings as the vigorous root systems may damage drains and foundations, particularly on clay soils. It has the potential to become a nuisance

Propagation

Propagate from hardwood cuttings in winter or suckers in autumn or late winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 1 in late summer to avoid bleeding from pruning cuts but established trees need little pruning; sucker removal in autumn or winter

Pests

May be susceptible to leaf beetles, sawflies and caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to leaf spots, poplar bacterial canker, tree rusts and honey fungus

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