Poplar
Populus nigra
Botanical family: Salicaceae
Populus (black and white poplars, aspen…), fast-growing Salicaceae of riverbanks and damp woods. Their wood is very light, and the aspen alone hosts more than 90 insect species. Sources: Tela Botanica, “Populus nigra L.”, “Populus alba L.” and “Populus tremula L.” (Coste's flora); Plants For A Future, “Populus alba” and “Populus tremula”.
Full sun
Cool to moist, deep; a great need for water
Cool to moist soil, readily planted near water
Very hardy
Overwinters in your zone
Dioecious, wind-pollinated (early catkins)
Role in permaculture
An ULTRA-fast-growing pioneer tree (like the willow, its Salicaceae cousin): ideal for quickly producing biomass, a windbreak or a screen, and for cleaning up damp soils. Coppices and roots from cuttings with disconcerting ease. It's the classic host of the poplar mushroom (pioppino), grown on its stumps and logs.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Seasons & availability
Resinous, fragrant buds gathered in early spring before they open, in March and April, for the traditional ointment.
Available: March, April.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Populus nigra » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Populus+nigra)
- Remington J. P., Wood H. C. (1918), The Dispensatory of the United States of America, 20e éd., « Poplar buds » (henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/usdisp/populus.html)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
The buds are rich in salicylate derivatives and resins: mainly for external use, with caution in case of allergy to salicylates or to hive products (propolis).
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Keep in mind
Powerful running roots, very thirsty for water: to be kept away from pipes, foundations, and pits. Mind the plant's sex: the cottony seed tufts (a spring nuisance) come from female plants, but the allergenic pollen comes from male plants, planting males solves the fluff, not the allergies. Near dwellings, prefer sterile varieties or another species.
A note on rigour: many companion pairings are gardening folklore; this note sums up what the sources say, where there are any.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: cool to moist, deep; a great need for water.