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Overview
Black poplars have formed an important part of our landscape and culture for centuries, from being landmarks and a focus for celebration, to inspiring the famous painter, Constable, and providing timber for floorboards.
Key Facts
- Our native and wild Black Poplar has deeply fissured bark, knobbly ‘bosses’ on its trunk and spreading branches that often touch the ground, before sweeping upwards again in a mass of twigs. It displays red catkins.
- To reproduce, male and female Black Poplars need to be sited close to each other. The fertilised seeds need to fall on damp ground, making river valleys perfect places for this species. But the drainage of the land for agricultural has made it difficult for these wetland trees and they have slowly disappeared from the landscape. A recent survey estimated there are only 7000 Black Poplars in England, Wales and Ireland, of which 600 are female.
- Height: 20-25m
Status
One of Britain’s rarest trees.
Seasonality
All year round
