Feature of poplar bark. Poplar: description, main types, use in medicine. Where does Poplar grow
- PFAF Medicinal Rating: 3
- Kidney Black poplars contain resin, wax, essential oil (up to 0.5%), gum, glycosides of salicin, populin and chrysin, tannins, flavonoids, malic and gallic acids, ascorbic acid, leucoanthocyanins and fatty oil.
- The kidneys have bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, antiscorbutic, antiallergic, diuretic, analgesic, sedative, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, antipyretic, emollient, wound healing, antiseptic properties.
- When ingestion of populin and, especially salicin, obtained from Black Poplar, the excretion of uric acid in the urine sharply increases. In addition, the kidneys have an antiseptic effect on the mucous membrane of the bronchi and thin phlegm in chronic bronchitis with purulent secretion. According to some reports, salicin in the human body is converted into salicylic acid (aspirin).
- In folk medicine in many countries, preparations from the kidneys of Black Poplar are most often used for diseases of the genitourinary organs, cystitis, urinary incontinence, painful urination (especially after surgery), kidney disease, excessive sexual arousal, spermatorrhea, prostatic hypertrophy, prostatitis and as an aphrodisiac remedy. With cervical cystitis (inflammation of the prostate part of the urethra), chronic urethritis, stricture of the posterior urethra, colliculitis, along with the ingestion of Black Poplar preparations, it is recommended to install the urethra or bladder with an oil extract of the kidneys.
- In addition, preparations from the kidneys of Black Poplar are used for neuroses, various types of neuralgia, arthritis, hemorrhoids, intestinal atony, diarrhea, colds, flu. In gynecology - with Trichomonas colpitis, as well as a means of regulating menstruation.
- A decoction of the kidneys can be used as inhalation for a stuffy nose.
- In folk medicine, tincture and kidney extract are recommended to be taken orally for malignant tumors (together with other plants), tuberculosis, rheumatism, gout, scurvy, sciatica, intermittent fever, cystitis and other diseases of the bladder. Also used for dysmenorrhea, diarrhea, colds, and as a hemostatic, sedative, expectorant.
- A resinous balm is extracted from the kidneys, and a “poplar ointment” (Populi unguentum, formerly called Unguentum Populi) is prepared from the extracts for external use. "Poplar ointment" is used as a disinfectant, antipyretic, distracting, emollient for gout, rheumatism, joint disease, arthritis, rheumatism, muscle pain, Trichomonas colpitis, staphylococcal and fungal skin diseases, furuncles, wounds, burns, hemorrhoids, ulcers nipples of the breast, dry skin, alopecia. "Poplar ointment" from fresh kidneys is used in German medicine as a remedy for the treatment of hemorrhoids and burns.
- Volatile fractions of phytoncides from the kidneys have protistocidal properties, and aqueous alcohol tincture has anti-amoebic activity. Juice from buds and from young and mature leaves and their acetone and ether extracts, as well as dry buds heated in a water bath to 100 ° C for 1 hour, have antibiotic and protistocidal properties.
- A decoction of black poplar buds is used to strengthen hair, stimulate its growth, and also to treat dry seborrhea.
- Black Poplar buds are a part of the dietary supplement intended to facilitate smoking cessation "Smoke Stopper".
- IN bark Black poplar contains alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, higher hydrocarbons. Shoot bark contains salicylates. Bark preparations are used internally in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, lumbar pain, diseases of the genitourinary organs, digestion and liver, with weakness, anorexia, fever, as well as to relieve menstrual pain. Outwardly, the bark is used to treat frostbite, hemorrhoids, infected wounds and sprains.
- Black Poplar preparations should not be used by people with individual intolerance to aspirin.
This tree is found almost everywhere, but the poplar is not among the favorites of gardeners and gardeners. Even its main feature - rapid growth, not everyone will consider a virtue. And how poplar fluff spoils our life! But maybe it is worth taking a closer look at this lanky bum?
Rod and its representatives
Olga Nikitina
Genus Poplar (Populus) belongs to the willow family and has about 110 species common in the Northern Hemisphere. These are dioecious, fast-growing, deciduous trees up to 60 m in height and over 1 m in diameter, the trunks of which are covered with fissured brown-gray or dark gray bark. Depending on the type of crown, it can be tent-shaped, ovoid, pyramidal or weeping.
The leaves are petiolar, the shape of the leaf blade varies from round or ovoid to rhomboid, deltoid or lanceolate.
Pistillate and staminate flowers are located in erect or drooping earrings. Poplars bloom in early spring before the leaves appear.
The fruit is a bivalve capsule with numerous small seeds provided with bundles of fine silky hairs. Poplar wood is sparsely vascular, white, easily processed; it is used mainly in papermaking, as well as for matchsticks and tare boards.
The lifespan of poplars is relatively short, they live up to 120–150 years.
These trees are propagated by seed and vegetative methods (green and root cuttings, jigging of root suckers). Plants obtained from cuttings grow at first much faster than specimens of seed origin.
Poplars are light-requiring, demanding on soil fertility and good aeration, and do not tolerate waterlogging. The root system is developed, extending far beyond the crown projection, the trees are not windblown.
Poplars are planted with a distance of 1.5–4 m, while the root collar should be at ground level. Since the soil subsides after planting, it must be carried out to a depth at which the root ball will be 10–20 cm higher than the final position, especially for large specimens.
Poplars prefer a soil mixture consisting of turf, peat and sand in a ratio of 3: 2: 2. On heavy soils, drainage is required in the form of broken bricks and sand to 1/3 of the depth of the planting pit.
Kemiru Universal (100–120 g / m2) is used as a top dressing and to accelerate the growth of shoots in the spring.
Watering is carried out at the rate of 2–2.5 buckets per plant, so that the soil is saturated to the depth of the roots. Loosening of the trunks is necessary to maintain moisture in the soil after each watering.
Speaking of poplar, one cannot fail to mention the problem of poplar fluff. In fact, hairy seeds are not allergens, they are just mechanical irritants to the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose. But the time of seed ripening in central Russia coincides with the flowering of allergenic cereals such as bluegrass, fescue, timothy, which grow in settlements. Microscopic pollen of cereals moves with air currents, and also settles on poplar seeds and is transported over long distances. The problem of poplar fluff can be solved by planting only male specimens or hybrid poplars that do not have females on the streets of cities.
Academician A. L. Takhtadzhyan, our contemporary and creator of a new phylogenetic system of classification of higher plants, subdivided this genus into 7 natural groups.
Aspen is the most common group of poplars, the buds and leaves of which do not emit fragrant resin, and the leaf blades are wide, with a wavy-toothed edge and long petioles.
White poplars are very similar to aspens, but only have the characteristic palmate-lobed shape of the shoots of coppice shoots and abundant white-tomentose pubescence of the underside of these leaves.
Turangi are poplars that can grow in hot and arid climates. The same tree can have leaves of various shapes (narrow, long and rounded).
Black, or deltoid, poplars are confined to riverside and floodplain habitats, they are characterized by deltoid leaves on long petioles.
Balsamic poplars have leaves and buds covered with scented resin. They differ from other groups by the presence of real shortened shoots with 2–5 leaves closely spaced to each other.
Mexican poplars are native to the northern highlands of Mexico and the surrounding United States. Morphologically similar to aspens and black poplars, but differ in the small size of all organs.
Leukoid poplars are a ruptured relict group found in the southeastern United States, as well as in southern China and the Himalayas. Representatives of this group are small trees with large leaves, buds and earrings.
Poplars are dioecious, fast-growing deciduous trees up to 60 m high and over 1 m in diameter.
Poplar trembling, or aspen (P. tremula), has a vast area: the forest-tundra zone in the European part of Russia, Siberia, the Far East, Crimea, the Caucasus, Manchuria, North Korea. The tree is 30–35 m high and up to 1 m in diameter. The crown is ovoid, rather rare. The leaves are rounded, on long petioles, which, with a large leaf blade, makes the leaf unstable (hence the specific name). Aspen wood burns without soot, so it is used for match logs and for smoking meat and fish products, as well as for log cabins and interior decoration of baths, as it does not rot for a long time.
Poplar white, or silver (P. alba), Is a powerful tree up to 35 m high and up to 2 m in diameter.Its wide-spreading crown is decorated with dark green shiny leaves with white felt pubescence on the underside. It grows in the floodplains of large rivers on rich and well-moistened soils. Quite resistant to some soil salinity.
Poplar Bolle (P. bolleana) Is a slender beautiful tree up to 35 m high, with a pyramidal crown shape, tolerates dry air and soil salinity, but is a rather thermophilic species. It grows in Central Asia along rivers, is used in field-protective afforestation, to strengthen slopes and sands.
Or carp (P. nigra), can reach up to 30 m in height and up to 4 m in diameter. The crown is tent-shaped, the leaves are wide-triangular, dark green, fragrant. The northern border of its range runs along the south of the Moscow region, reaches the Crimea and the Caucasus, and this species also grows in the southern regions of Siberia. The most durable of all poplars, it can live up to 200–250 (400) years. It grows along river floodplains, endures flooding.
Poplar Simon, or Chinese (P. simonii), reaches a height of 15–25 m, the trunk is covered with a smooth greenish-gray bark. The crown is very beautiful, ovoid, with cascading shoots hanging down. Perfect for urban landscaping.
A large number of poplar species used in our culture grow in North America. Perhaps the most famous of them is T. balsamic (P. balsamifera), reaching a height of up to 30 m and up to 4–5 m in diameter. At home, this species is found from Alaska to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Its buds and young leaves are fragrant and sticky, as they are densely covered with fragrant resin.
Alamo (P. deltoides) is called a cotton tree, its numerous seeds are equipped with cotton-like hairs. It can reach up to 45 m in height, this poplar is planted on the territories of industrial enterprises, for casing roads and water bodies. It grows very quickly, hardy, unpretentious.
California T. hairy (P. trichocarpa) in their homeland grows to enormous sizes: up to 60 m in height and up to 2.5 m in diameter, at the age of 15 it reaches 16-18 m.
In the national economy, hybrid poplars are widely used, which were bred specifically for a specific application: urban greening, forest shelter belts, paper production.
Poplars are planted with a distance of 1.5–4 m, the root collar should be 1.5–2 cm below ground level.
Balsam poplar 
Alamo 
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Chinese poplar
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Poplar diseases
Ella Sokolova,
candidate of agricultural sciences
Poplar, despite some disadvantages of the breed, is widely used for landscaping. It is resistant to urban conditions, decorative, grows quickly, and has protective properties. However, quite often the possibilities of its use in plantations are limited by infectious diseases.
Leaf diseases
Powdery mildew (causative agent - mushroom Uncinula adunca). Black and balsamic poplars are affected. In early July, on both sides of the leaves, but mainly on the upper, a white bloom of mycelium appears with sporulation in the form of separate, then merging spots. Later, the fruiting bodies of the fungus are formed on the mycelium in the form of numerous scattered black dots.
Rust(pathogens are fungi of the genus Melampsora). The M. populina fungus infects all types of black and balsamic poplars, larch, and various types of onions; M. tremulae - species of white poplar, larch, celandine, corydalis and other types of herbaceous plants. In late June - early July, on the underside of the leaves of all types of poplar, and in whites - and on the stalks, summer sporulation of pathogens is formed, which looks like numerous small yellow or orange powdery pads protruding from under the epidermis. Later, the autumn-winter sporulation of fungi develops, noticeable in the form of small dark brown scabs, located singly or in groups on the upper side of the leaves, less often on the lower.
Brown spot (causative agent - mushroom Marssonina populi). Different species and hybrids of black and balsamic poplars are affected, but the disease is most often found on balsamic ones. The first spots on the leaves appear in late May - early June. The spots are brown, grayish-brown, round, indistinct, sometimes indistinctly expressed. On the spots on both sides of the leaf, but mainly on the upper, sporulation of the fungus is formed, which looks like small yellowish or whitish rounded or flat formations. With a strong development of the disease, the affected leaves are completely covered with spots, dry up and fall off prematurely. In balsamic poplars, the most susceptible to the disease, the leaves almost completely fall off already at the end of July.
White spot (causative agent - mushroom Septoria populi). Black and balsamic poplars are affected. In early summer, rounded or angular white spots with a thin dark brown rim appear on both sides of the leaves. On the upper side of the spots, sporulation of the pathogen is formed in the form of well-visible small black dots. At a high level of damage, numerous spots cover almost the entire surface of the leaf. A fungus causes a similar spot on white poplars Septoria candida.
Scab(causative agent - mushroom Pollaccia radiosa). White poplar and its hybrids are affected. At the beginning of summer, purple-brown, rounded or irregular spots of various sizes are formed on the upper side of the leaves. Later, a velvety olive-colored bloom of mycelium with sporulation of the pathogen appears on the spots. In case of severe damage, individual spots merge, covering almost the entire surface of the leaves. Affected leaves are deformed, dry out and fall off. In addition to leaves, the disease affects young shoots, which turn black, dry up and bend in the form of hooks, and sometimes break. On two- and three-year-old shoots, elongated-oval cancerous wounds develop.
The massive spread of leaf diseases at a high level of damage leads to their premature abscission and thinning of the crown, weakening of young plants and a decrease in growth, loss of decorative poplar and a decrease in its protective functions in different types of plantations.
Necro-cancerous diseases of trunks and branches
Brown cytosporous necrosis , or cytosporosis(causative agent - mushroom Cytospora chrysosperma). Various species and hybrids of poplar are affected. In the thickness of the cortex of necrotic areas, brown fungal tissue develops - the stroma. Later, sporulation of the pathogen is formed in it, which looks like numerous small conical tubercles protruding from the breaks of the epidermis. Mature spores emerge on the surface of the cortex in the form of golden-orange thin spirals, flagella, and drops.
Black cytosporous necrosis , or cytosporosis(causative agent - mushroom Cytospora foetida). Various species and hybrids of to-field are affected, including white, silver, Canadian, carp, etc. In the thickness of the affected bark, sporulation of the fungus is formed, which is noticeable in the areas of trunks and branches with a thin smooth bark in the form of black rounded convex spots with a diameter of up to 2 mm. In spring, spores emerge on the surface of the bark and freeze in the form of blood-red drops or flagella. Freshly infected parts of trunks and branches emit a characteristic unpleasant, pungent herring smell.
Discospore necrosis (causative agent - mushroom Discosporium populeum). Various species and hybrids of black and balsamic poplars are affected. Initially, depressed necrotic areas of an oval shape with a diameter of up to several centimeters appear on the bark of trunks and branches. The affected areas are highlighted with a darker color of the bark, which becomes yellowish as it dies. Cancer wounds appear on thick branches and trunks. On dying and dead parts of the bark, sporulation of the fungus is formed, which has the form of tubercles up to 2 mm in diameter. The spores emerging on the surface of the bark are in the form of blackish-white or light olive flagella 2–4 mm long.
These necrosis develop against the background of the weakening of the poplar, caused by various unfavorable factors (drought, prolonged flooding, freezing, air and soil pollution, violation of the rules for caring for plantings).
Black , hypoxylonic cancer aspen and poplar (causative agent - mushroom Hypoxylon mammatum). Different types of poplar are affected, but more often species and hybrids of white poplar. Later, in the thickness of the affected bark, a black smearing fungal tissue develops - the stroma. In the stroma, groups of fruiting bodies of the pathogen are formed in the form of rather large stony grayish-black polygonal formations. After falling of the affected bark, non-stepped wounds elongated along the trunks and branches, reaching 1.5 m in length, with wood covered with black stroma, become noticeable.
Nectrium (stepwise) cancer l natural breeds (causative agent - fungus Neonectria galligena). A characteristic feature of the disease is oval or round wounds with pronounced gradation. Wounds form on the branches and along the entire length of the trunk, sometimes several from different sides. The disease causes a gradual weakening of trees and leads to their partial dryness.
Wet ulcerative vascular cancer , or brown mucus (pathogens - bacteria Pseudomonas cerasi, P. syringae). In the spring, oval bulges appear on the trunks and branches, from which a transparent liquid turns brown in air. On trunks with fissured bark, the disease is detected by the presence of smudges. Later, characteristic weeping wounds form at the site of the swellings. With the active development of the disease, the wounds merge, often ringing the trunk for up to 1 m.
Necrotic cancerous diseases lead to the weakening and drying out of the poplar, a decrease in its decorative and protective functions. Cancer diseases contribute to the infection of trees with rot and reduce their resistance to windbreak.
Rotting diseases of roots and trunks
White sapwood (peripheral) rot roots and trunks (causative agent - autumn mushroom - Armillaria mellea). The rot is white, fibrous, with fine black lines. Under the bark of the roots and trunks, white fan-shaped mycelium films and dark brown, almost black branching cords - rhizomorphs - are formed. The defeat of the roots leads to the rapid drying of trees, contributes to the formation of a windblow.
White marble sapwood rot trunks (the causative agent is a real tinder fungus - Fomes fomentarius). Rot develops in the lower and middle parts of the trunk, rising to a height of 10 m.
Yellowish white heart rot trunks (causative agent - maple tinder fungus - Oxyporus populinus). The affected part is separated from the healthy one by a greenish narrow ring. Fissured rot, disintegrating into thin plates, concentrated in the lower and middle parts of the trunk.
Red-brown prismatic sound rot
trunks (causative agent - sulfur-yellow tinder fungus - Laetiporus sulphureus). Rot develops mainly in the lower part of the trunk and rises to a height of 5–8 m.
Fruiting bodies are formed at the sites of infection and serve as a reliable sign of rot damage. In the absence of fruiting bodies, the presence of rot can be judged by hollows, dry sides, cancerous wounds and mechanical damage on the trunks.
Trunk rot significantly reduces the resistance of trees to wind and windbreak formation.
Measures to combat poplar diseases include a set of the following measures:
- systematic surveillance of the emergence and spread of diseases;
- use of healthy planting material to create plantings;
- creation of optimal conditions for the growth and development of plants, increasing their resistance to diseases;
- pruning of diseased and shriveled branches with their subsequent destruction;
- elimination of sources of infection (fallen leaves and shoots);
- removal of dry and withered trees, windfall and windbreak trees from plantations;
- in the foci of leaf diseases, cytosporous and discospore necrosis, during the growing season, the treatment of poplar with fungicides approved for use for each specific type of disease.
Brown leaf spot 
Black cytosporous necrosis 
Brown cytosporous necrosis
Poplar pests
Tamara Galasyeva, candidate of agricultural sciences
All poplar species are attacked by several hundred species of insects and herbivorous mites, many of which are polyphages (they feed on other tree species as well). Pests affect all plant organs: buds, leaves, shoots, branches, trunks and even roots.
Leaf-eating insects
Leaf-eating insects are called leaf-eating pests. They are quite numerous and are represented by species from various families of butterflies, sawflies and beetles. The feeding of leaf-eating insects begins in early spring and continues until autumn. Pest larvae damage the kidneys, skeletonize or eat out large areas of leaf blades.
Leaves are skeletonized mainly by beetles and larvae of small species of leaf beetles: Melasoma populi, M. tremulae, Chalcoides anrata, Ch. nidula... The elytra of these leaf beetle species are brightly colored red, blue-green or blue-violet. Caterpillars of butterflies, sawflies and some species of beetles eat holes in the leaves and even eat them whole.
Sawfly larvae are usually naked, with 7-8 pairs of abdominal legs. The body color is often greenish or bluish, with distinct spots or stripes on the sides. The larvae usually feed in groups; having eaten leaves on one branch, they crawl to another. About 15 sawfly species are known on poplars. In some years, poplar leaves are damaged to varying degrees by caterpillars of butterflies from the families of moths, scoops, hawk moths, crested beetles, volnymids, nymphamides, etc. Often in poplar and aspen forests, foci of willow wolf appear - Leucoma salicis... Damage to young leaves in the form of separate holes in the center of leaf blades or from their edges is left by weevils of the genus Phyllobius, May beetles and beetles of the genus Saperda... Leaves are damaged by rolling them into tubes, caterpillars of leaf rollers and notched-winged moths. The leaf blades are incised and rolled into dense "cigar" beetles of the genus Byctiscus.
Sucking pests
Sucking pests suck out juices from buds, leaves, branches and even trunks. On poplars, about a hundred species of such pests are known, including aphids, coccids (scale insects, false scale insects, mealybugs), leafhoppers, leaf beetles and herbivorous mites.
Most sucking pests are small and unobtrusive. They can be detected by the sugary (sticky) secretions that not only cover the surface of leaves and shoots, but also attract ants. Among the coccids on poplars, such widespread polyphagous species as apple, willow, Californian and pseudo-Californian scale insects are often found.
Gall producers
Gall-forming agents are insects and herbivorous mites that form galls of various shapes, sizes and colors on the leaves and other organs of the plant.
Some species of aphids from the genus Pemphigus, referring to migratory aphids, at the beginning of their development, galls are formed on the leaves of various poplar species in the form of a strongly thickened leaf folded in half, and then migrate to the roots of herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae, Maceous, Buttercup and some others families. Several species of monoecious aphids of the same genus live in galls on the cuttings of poplar leaves, which have the form of spirally twisted growths. Pemphigus... In one gall, up to 70–80 aphids develop. Galls on the kidneys in the form of fleshy dissected outgrowths up to 10 cm long are formed by an aspen head mite.
Miners
Miners are called insects, the larvae of which feed on the tissue of leaves, making various forms of passages in the thickness of the leaf blade or growing shoot. The larval passages, or mines, can be whitish, yellowish or brown, narrow - ribbon-like or wide - in the form of spots. About a dozen species of insects are known to mine poplar leaves.
The most common oval, whitish mines of the mottled poplar moth ( Lythocolletis populifoliella). They are located, as a rule, on the lower side of the leaves; skeletonized areas are observed on the upper side in the corresponding leaves. With massive damage to the leaves of poplars, early yellowing and leaf fall is observed. The butterflies of this moth are small (about 0.4 mm), often fly into the windows of houses in the evening, clog in cracks and cracks. The mines of the aspen mining sawfly are ubiquitous Phyllostoma ochropoda, having the appearance of shapeless brown spots on the upper side of the leaf, as well as silvery mines of a patterned aspen moth Phyllochistis suffusella , occupying, as a rule, the entire upper surface of the sheet.
Stem pests
Stem pests, or xylophages, feed on the bark, bast and wood of branches and trunks. Most of them settle on shriveled and withered trees, valezha, stumps and felled wood. These are numerous species of longhorn beetles, golden beetles, bark beetles, grinders, horn-tails, glass butterflies and woodworms.
The most harmful species are those that can inhabit living, growing, but weakened trees. These include some species of barbel of the genus Saperda, Lamia, Aromi a, etc., as well as glass butterflies ( Aegeridae), dark-winged and poplar ( Aegeria apiformes and Parathren tabaniformes ). The latter cause particular harm to poplars in nurseries, schools and parks.
Larvae of the red aspen leaf beetle 
Red aspen beetle 
Damage to leaves with a pipe-runner 
Clutch of willow wolfberry eggs 
A caterpillar of willow buckwheat eggs 
Gray aspen barbel beetle
Poplar in landscaping
Olga Nikitina
This tree species has enjoyed special recognition and respect for a long time. Poplars, along with olives and cypresses, were planted in the cities of Ancient Greece and Rome, where popular meetings were held under their spreading crowns. From here, by the way, came the Latin name of the genus - populus, that is, "folk".
Disadvantages and advantages
The value of poplars for landscaping lies in their speed of growth (for which these trees are called eucalyptus of the North), attractive crown shapes, in leaves that remain on trees for quite a long time, without changing their color in autumn or acquiring spectacular colorful tones, as well as in the aroma spread buds and young foliage of some species.
Poplars are relatively short-lived, in Moscow they live up to 100 years old, however, at the age of 80 they already stop growing. The big advantage of this breed is easy propagation by cuttings, and care is usually minimal.
Scientists have noticed that the process of photosynthesis is very active in poplars. Associate Professor of the Department of Forest Breeding, Genetics and Dendrology of the Moscow Forestry Institute (MLTI, now MGUL) P.T.Obydenny found that one poplar tree per day produces as much oxygen as 8 linden, 6 oak, 5 maple, 13 spruce.
Poplar is the best orderly in the city, this tree species absorbs carbon dioxide 1.8-2.2 times more than traditional types used in landscaping; 1.5 times - noise, dust and soot. At the same time, it retains its resistance against poplar moth and rust for a long time; it was noticed that mostly female specimens are damaged.
The big disadvantage of poplars is that they are easily affected by rot. At the same time, mature trees have a huge crown with a large mass. The combination of these factors makes poplar a dangerous, fall-prone tree.
Poplar is the best orderly in the city, this tree species absorbs carbon dioxide 1.8-2.2 times more than traditional types used in landscaping.
Usage
With the help of poplars, you can not only decorate the territory, but also solve a number of problems. This tree species will perfectly protect any area from the prevailing winds and keep the garden from freezing. In the summer heat, you can hide under dense crowns, which, moreover, collecting dust on the leaves, purify the air. This is especially true if the private household is located near the highway.
Expressive and very attractive poplar crowns can beautify any landscape. This breed is used to create large tracts and small groups, in alleys and specimen plantings. Pyramidal crowns are indispensable for creating vertical accents in landscape compositions. Some species are used to decorate and strengthen the banks.
Types and varieties
Traveling through the south of our country and Southern Europe, we always pay attention to the slim T. pyramidal... Its crown stands out clearly against the background of other tree species, it is good in any composition, but, unfortunately, this species is very thermophilic. Russian breeder academician Yablokov A.S. solved this problem by crossing the frost-resistant and beautiful so-called white with the so-called Bolle. The result is a highly decorative hybrid t. Soviet pyramidal, which is characterized by rapid growth and frost resistance, a slender narrow-conical crown, dark green leaves with dense white pubescence on the underside.
Very picturesque T. black who looks like a real hero. It is a large tree 30–40 m high, with a wide-spreading crown and a cylindrical trunk covered with smooth gray bark. It has long been used in landscape gardening in single and group plantings, as well as for strengthening the banks of reservoirs. Its variety is very popular in landscaping. 'Pyramidalis', Which, unfortunately, is unsuitable for cultivation in central Russia.
Poplar white, or silver, - a luxurious tree up to 30 m high, with a tent-shaped crown and spectacular dark green shiny leaves, covered with dense white pubescence on the underside. This type is used to create monumental compositions and strengthen the banks of rivers and reservoirs. Its only drawback is the presence of abundant root growth, which has to be dealt with.
Poplar Simon, or Chinese, looks like a birch. One of the most attractive species, 15–20 m high, with hanging shoots, winter-hardy. The leaves retain their green color for a long time. Looks especially impressive in a solitary planting. Has varieties:
'Pendula‘Is a luxurious tree with a weeping crown shape.
‘Fastigiata‘- a tree with a pyramidal crown, which is perfect for single, group and alley plantings.
Canadian poplar- a very large tree, 40 m high with a trunk diameter of up to 2.5 m, of hybrid origin. According to a number of characteristics, it is very similar to the so-called black, has a rapid growth, impressive size, dark green foliage that persists until late autumn. It has decorative forms that are of great value for green building.
In the 18th century, they were brought to Europe from America T. deltoid and t. canadian, which entered into natural hybridization with the European m. black. The result is fast growing hybrids, one of which, t. Euro-American ‘Sеrotina', Quite interesting for green building. This hybrid has a columnar crown shape, the leaves are pinkish-red when blooming, only male specimens are found.
Naturally occurring hybrids include t. Berlin(was obtained from the Berlin Botanical Garden) and T. Moscow... The first is a slender tree up to 35 m high, with a dense, wide-pyramidal crown, mainly only male specimens are found, life expectancy is 100–120 years. The second is a small tree 10–15 m high, with an ovoid crown, a fast-growing and frost-resistant hybrid of so fragrant and so laurel. Unfortunately, these hybrids are rarely used in urban areas, although they are great for creating group, alley and solitary plantings.
Poplar Pushkin was found by the famous gardener R.I.Schroder in Moscow, on the boulevard near the monument to A.S. Pushkin. Its origin is unknown, but, apparently, this poplar is a form of the so-called black, which arose in culture (in Moscow). Typical specimens t. Pushkin were available on the territory of the State Bank on Neglinnaya Street and in estates on Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Street. This tree, 10–18 m high, with a dense crown and a relatively short trunk, covered with almost black fissured bark, looks like an oak. Despite its slow growth, this poplar is perfect for urban plantings.
One poplar tree per day produces as much oxygen as 8 lindens, 6 oaks, 5 maples, 13 spruces.
Berlin poplar Berlin poplar
The healing properties of poplar
Marina kulikova, candidate of biological sciences
Drugs poplar black, or maddening ( Populus nigra), have long been used in folk medicine. But traditional medicine drew attention to it relatively recently. The buds of this plant contain essential oil, flavonoids, bitter resins, organic acids, populin and salicin glycosides, and tannins.
For medical purposes use leaf buds and kidney male inflorescences while they are covered with resinous substances. They are harvested in late April - early May. Raw materials are dried in the shade, sprinkled in a thin layer, stirring occasionally, or in drying ovens at a temperature of 30-35º. The dried kidneys are stored for two years in a tightly closed glass container or linen bags.
Poplar blooms in April – May before the leaves open.
Infusion or tincture of buds, as well as young leaves and earring inflorescences have bactericidal, anti-inflammatory properties. They have been used since ancient times to treat wounds, burns, ulcers, dermatitis, and boils.
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Poplar preparations are taken internally as a diuretic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and sedative. They are prescribed for polyarthritis, inflammation of the bladder, gout, hemorrhoids, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, intestinal atony, neuroses. Essential oil gives the kidneys such properties as expectorant and regulating the activity of the gastrointestinal tract.
Tincture of poplar buds treat sciatica and rheumatism. Poplar kidney ointments and baths are used to treat skin diseases, sciatica. Lotions are applied to the skin inflamed after sunburn. To strengthen hair and stimulate their growth 2-3 times a week for a month, infusion of poplar buds is rubbed into the scalp.
Recipes:
Broth: 3 tbsp. l. kidney, pour 1 liter of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Insist 3-4 hours, drain. The broth is used for sedentary baths for hemorrhoids, rheumatic pains and gout.
Infusion: pour 20 g of dry poplar buds with 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain. Take 1 tbsp. l. 3-4 times a day.
Tincture: 2 tsp crushed kidneys pour 100 ml of vodka, leave for a week, drain.
Oil infusion: mix 1 part of the kidneys with 3 parts of vegetable oil and boil for 30 minutes. over low heat. Insist 2 weeks, drain. Apply for skin diseases.
Ointment: grind 1 tbsp in a mortar. l. dried buds and mix with 1 tbsp. l. lanolin. Apply in a thin layer to areas of burns and inflammations on the skin.
Perhaps one of the most common plants in our area is poplar. It is difficult to imagine a settlement without them. Poplars are widely used for urban greening. For many, this tree is associated with down, which covers the streets during flowering and causes allergies in especially sensitive people. Children are especially susceptible to it.
Plant characteristic
As a fairly large tree, poplar looks good both in urban landscapes and in the natural environment. It can reach a height of 60 meters, but most often poplars grow up to 30-40 m. These trees are deciduous, and the shape of the crown depends on the species. There are poplars with spherical, ovoid and pyramidal tops. The roots cover a large area and are superficial. The wood is light and soft, and the bark is usually gray in color with cracks.
Most poplar varieties are dioecious... They begin to bloom in the spring - even before the foliage appears. The leaves are arranged in a spiral on the branch. Poplar leaf in most cases has an ordinary oval shape with a pointed tip. Autumn poplar is a tree with beautiful golden or yellow foliage.
The inflorescences form catkins, which are pollinated by the wind. And at the beginning of summer, the fruits ripen - the so-called boxes. They contain seeds, at the base of which there are bundles of fine white hairs. When the seeds begin to scatter from the seed pod, a lot of white fluff can be seen floating in the air. Since many people are allergic to such fluff, it is recommended to use only male specimens for landscaping.
Poplars grow very quickly, which is why they are so popular in urban landscaping. But the tree is short-lived and pleases the eye no more than 70-80 years, sometimes even less, because its wood is susceptible to various fungal infections.
The poplar genus has more than 90 species. They can differ in structure, height, shape and foliage pattern. They are all organized into six main sections:
And there are also hybrid species that appeared by natural crossing of different types of poplars or thanks to the efforts of dendrologists. In nature, this tree can be found where there is high soil moisture, for example, near rivers and water bodies in regions with a temperate climate. Due to their ability to fight pathogenic microbes and enrich the air with phytoncides, as well as the ability to take root on almost any soil, poplars began to be used for planting in parks and city squares. The most famous varieties are:
- balsamic,
- pyramidal,
- deltoid,
- laurel,
- fragrant,
- trembling,
- Berlin,
- Chinese,
- Euro-American Robusta,
- Canadian,
- black,
- white.
This species is native to the United States, also native to Canada. Usually it is up to 25-30 m in height, and the thickness of the trunk reaches up to 2 meters. The species is widely used in culture, as it is easy to propagate by stem cuttings, it is resistant to frost and is able to take root well in a gassed and dusty environment. In order for the tree to grow well and not be damaged by insects and phytopathogens, the best place for planting will be a well-lit area with shallow groundwater and good drainage. But even on compacted soils that are contaminated with heavy metals, this species will also take root.
Pyramidal view
This type of poplar is also called Italian. The tree grows up to 40 meters. In the first 10 years after planting, it gives great growth, especially if underneath it is neutral, moderately moist soils. Demanding light, grows slowly in partial shade and becomes more susceptible to diseases and pests. It propagates not only by seeds, but also with the help of cuttings and root processes, which is very good, since the seeds quickly lose their germination.
It is an excellent option for urban landscaping. It is worth noting what kind of crown it has: wide at the bottom and tapering at the top.
Deltoid type
Another type of poplar is native to North America. Found in the United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico. It can reach a height of up to 50 meters. If it grows in favorable conditions, it quickly increases in growth and by the ninth year after planting it can reach a height of 30 meters. Deltoid poplar is a hardy tree, it tolerates frost and sudden temperature fluctuations well, but is poorly resistant to strong gusts of wind. Due to the nature of the root system, it can break quite easily.
Laurel variety
It is widely distributed almost throughout Siberia and in China. It grows on mountain slopes and in river floodplains. It takes root well on any soil, even on sandy-pebble deposits. It usually reaches a height of 20 meters. It grows slowly, but it is able to withstand even the most severe winter. Under good landing conditions, it has a lush crown. Most often planted for landscaping of motorway sides due to its good resistance to smoke and gases. Not recommended for planting in southern areas with dry poor soils.
Scented poplar
The homeland of this poplar is Eastern Siberia and the Far East, it is found in China and Mongolia. Usually grows up to 15-20 meters. It is widely used for urban landscaping in the northern regions, as this species can withstand harsh winters.
The crown is lush, oval in shape. It can grow on any soil, the main thing is that it is well moisturized. With prolonged droughts, the tree may die. The flowering period begins simultaneously with the blooming of young foliage. Forms resinous fragrant earrings that exude a pleasant aroma and disinfect the air. In culture, it is used for landscaping parks and reservoirs, but in urban conditions this species is short-lived, as it is susceptible to diseases and pests. And in places of natural growth, it can live up to 200-300 years.
Quivering aspen
This type of poplar is best known as aspen. Naturally grows almost throughout Europe and Central Asia. It tolerates winters well. For aspen, fertile soils with shallow groundwater are preferred. When planted on acidic or dry sandy soils, it is highly susceptible to disease and does not take root well. It can reach a height of up to 35 meters. Aspen can be found more often in natural plantings than in urban conditions, due to the peculiarity of this type of wood, which is highly susceptible to diseases.
Territorial division
There are several species that bear the name of certain areas where this or that type of tree is most common.
Berlin poplar is a hybrid that was bred from laurel and black. It is not found in the wild, but is often used for landscaping. After disembarkation, it quickly grows. It is undemanding to the composition of the soil and can grow even in places with excessive moisture. Resistant to severe frost.
It features a dense cylindrical crown that tolerates pruning and shaping well. It reaches a height of up to 35 meters. The Berlin poplar is widely used for landscaping in parks, near water bodies and along streets. Thanks to its durable and hard wood, it is also used in the construction of houses.
Chinese- low, among poplars, tree. It usually reaches a height of 10-15 meters. Distributed throughout Asia, especially in China. This species, also called Simon's poplar, tolerates different temperature regimes well - from drought to severe frosts. However, it grows best with good soil moisture. From a distance it resembles a birch tree due to hanging branches and a light shade of the bark. Chinese poplar is often used in landscaping, more suitable for creating hedges. This species has rather fragile branches that can break in snow or strong winds.
Euro-American Robusta turned out as a result of natural hybridization of the deltoid and black poplar. Usually reaches a height of 30-35 meters. This hybrid is very light-loving and does not tolerate shade well, but not very picky about the soil.
It grows best on moist and rich soils with close proximity to groundwater. Not particularly resistant to frost, but copes well with gas and smoke. Branches are fragile and can break off due to strong winds. It takes root well in urban settings.
Canadian the hybrid can reach a height of 40 meters. It is characterized by a lush oval crown, which makes this species one of the first in decorative landscaping. Good for planting in cities, as it grows quickly, easily tolerates gas pollution in the environment and is resistant to mild frosts. It pleases with its foliage even in late autumn. Rarely exposed to various diseases and pests. This species is picky about the soil - it is important that it is well-drained and well-lit.
Types by color
Other poplar species have been named for the color of their bark.
Black naturally distributed in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It can often be found on the territory of Russia and Ukraine. The tree is large, 20-30 meters high. Life expectancy can be up to 300 years.
Black poplar, or black poplar, is picky about light, but can easily grow on poor soils with little moisture. Resistant to both frost and drought. Valuable for landscaping in cities, as it perfectly cleans the air from dust and emits oxygen. In addition, its wood is used for the production of building materials, household utensils and various other products. And from the kidneys, an essential oil is obtained, which is used in the perfumery industry.
White... Usually it is a 30-meter tree that can live up to 400 years. Distributed in Europe and Central Asia. White poplar, or silvery, grows best on light soils with near-ground water tables. Resistant to frost and flooding, but does not tolerate droughts.
Often used for urban landscaping, as its growth can be controlled and the top trimmed to shape. White poplars are most often used for beautification in large parks, as well as in single and group plantings. It has a powerful root system, and thanks to this, they can strengthen slopes, ravines and river banks.
Application of wood
Although many are accustomed to the fact that poplars are often used for urban landscaping, this tree has other uses as well. Its wood is widely used in industry; it is used to make:
- matches,
- paper,
- plywood,
- timber for building houses,
- charcoal.
The popularity of poplar in landscaping is due to the fact that it is able to emit a lot of oxygen and fight air pollution, clearing it of smoke and gas. Some types of poplar are useful for the perfumery and paints and varnishes industry, for example, yellow paint can be obtained from the leaves.
The well-known poplar has different uses, and each type has its own characteristics. An interesting fact is the use of the heartwood for baking bread during the war years, when there were problems with food and it was necessary to fight hunger. Another unique feature of this tree is the ability to change your gender, you can often find descriptions of cases when female earrings appear on a male plant. This is usually due to unfavorable ecology.
(Populus alba)
White poplar is a large deciduous tree. It grows very quickly (especially in the first 20-25 years), but only on fertile and sufficiently moist soils. Tolerates soil salinity. Photophilous. Can grow in partial shade. Loves moist soils, tolerates long-term flooding well. Can tolerate dry conditions. Winter-hardy. It strengthens the banks of rivers and reservoirs well.
(Populus alba Nivea)
White poplar Nivea has silvery-white leaves that retain their color for a long time, not changing color much even in autumn. The growth rate is very fast. Winter-hardy, frost-hardy. Photophilous, but tolerates shady areas. Drought-resistant. Prefers moist and fertile soils. It is used in park and city landscaping.
(Populus pyramidalis)
Poplar pyramidal has a very narrow crown. Branches come from the base of the trunk. Its monumental, pyramidal, dark green crown gives a special, southern character to the landscape, resembling slender, pyramidal cypresses. Good for building green defensive walls quickly. Does not produce fluff. A very spectacular tree in single, group, ordinary and alley plantings.
Probably not a single tree is as popular in landscaping city streets, parks and squares as poplar. Such a familiar to everyone from childhood, and many remember the song: "Poplars, poplars, my lovers in the city ..." Although poplar often causes criticism during the flowering period, when its fluff covers the streets, gets into apartments, flies into the eyes ...
It would seem, what is interesting in it, so familiar and simple, and what can we talk about? But let's get to know this plant better, maybe we will find in it something new and still unknown to us.
Description of the plant
In nature, poplars are distributed throughout the northern hemisphere - from China (their ancestral home is located here), throughout Eurasia, in America and even in eastern Africa. In total, there are a little more than 100 species of poplars in the world, united in the genus Populus which belongs to the willow family (Salicaceae).
As you can see, the Latin name of the tree itself speaks of its popularity. And it came from Ancient Greece, where already at that time these trees were grown on the streets and squares.
In nature, poplar most often grows near rivers, as it prefers moist soils. For example, aspen can grow in saline lands, and poplar with different leaves grows well on the sands of the dunes. By the way, a forest with many poplars is called poplar. One of the main features of these trees is their rapid growth, which made poplar so popular in urban landscaping.
Poplar does not live long. Usually, the growth of a tree slows down by the age of 50, and 60-80 years is the usual duration of its life, although there are species that live up to 150 years. Poplar wood is highly susceptible to various fungal infections, therefore tree branches break easily, and they themselves are short-lived.
Poplars - trees are solid, large, growth is 50-60 m, but more often they grow up to 40 m. The trunk is quite impressive, it happens, and it reaches a meter in thickness. Different types have a crown of different shapes - spherical, oval, pyramidal. The leaves of all poplars are simple, petiolate, usually oval with a pointed tip, lanceolate or with a notched edge. Most often smooth, but there are also pubescent.
Poplars are mostly dioecious trees. Flowering takes place in early spring, even before blooming or simultaneously with the deployment of leaves, pollination usually occurs by wind. Small flowers are collected in inflorescences-earrings, respectively, male and female. Trees begin to bloom and bear fruit at the age of 10 years.
Poplar fruits are small capsules with fluffy hairs. It is they who cause so much concern to the inhabitants of cities. Therefore, it is advisable to plant exclusively male plants for landscaping the streets.
Let's consider some types of poplars.
Sweet poplar
In the eastern part of Siberia grows Sweet poplar (Populus Suaveolens). It is also found in Mongolia and North China.
The light-loving tree reaches 20 m in height, has a thick ovoid-oval crown, a trunk with a light yellowish-gray bark. It got its name for the fragrant and resinous (especially in spring) buds and young twigs. The leaves are bright green, leathery and shiny, oval in shape with a sharp tip at the top, rather dense, slightly whitish below. Small flowers form drooping earrings.
A characteristic feature of poplar is its rapid growth at a young age, and due to its exceptional winter hardiness, it is a valuable species for landscaping settlements in the northern regions, although its life expectancy in the city is short.
(PopulusLaurifolia) widespread throughout Siberia. Habitat - river pebble floodplains, can rise to a height of about 1800 m. Unlike the previous species, it is shade-tolerant.
The tree is quite tall, has a slightly branched tent-shaped crown. The dark bark of the trunk is cut with deep cracks. The leaves are lanceolate, elongated, dark green and shiny, located on numerous shortened shoots, which is why they seem to grow in bunches. This gives the tree a very original shape.
Foliagepoplarslaurel. Photo from the site plantarium.ru
It does not grow as fast as other species, but it is very resistant to urban smoke, winter-hardy and unpretentious.
Black poplar or black poplar
Also found in Russia Poplar black (PopulusNigra). It grows in the regions of the middle zone to Perm, in the south - in the Crimea and the Caucasus, as well as in Central Asia and even in Western Siberia. The wild boar can also be seen in various reserves in our country.Prefers light forests growing on sandy loose soils in river valleys. It is a powerful and tall tree with a spreading crown. The bark is covered with cracks, in a young tree it is light gray, then gradually turns black. The leaves are rhombic, sometimes triangular in shape with a pointed tip, dark green in color, slightly aromatic.
The plant is winter-hardy, drought-resistant, undemanding to living conditions. But on humus-rich, moist soils, it will grow faster.
(Populus Pyramidalis)- the tree is tall and slender, with a columnar crown, wide at the bottom and gradually tapering upward, which makes the tree look like a cypress. It is believed that the homeland of this species is Asia Minor, but it is not known for sure.
The leaves are diamond-shaped, may be triangular, not very large. The species is not too hardy, but grows well in central Russia and in the south of Western Siberia. An excellent tree for urban landscaping, good both in groups and in solitary planting, forms beautiful alleys.
In addition, wood wood is very widely used for economic purposes: it is used for the manufacture of paper and artificial silk, simple furniture and various containers are made, it is used for sawn timber and much more. And from the leaves and buds of poplar they get paint. Here is such a wonderful and useful tree - our old friend poplar.
