Trees🌿 Native to the NetherlandsVery hardy — tolerates frost down to -30°C

Black Poplar

Populus nigra

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Black Poplar (Populus nigra) is a native, deciduous and fast-growing tree of river valleys, floodplains, softwood alluvial forests, river banks, moist forest edges and inner dune edges. Old trees develop a broad, whimsical crown, a dark gray to almost black deeply grooved bark and sometimes large knots on the trunk. The hairless leaves are diamond-shaped to triangular, pointed and have a characteristic translucent hem along the finely serrated leaf margin. In March and April, Black Poplar blooms before the leaf appears. The species is dioecious: male and female catkins grow on separate trees. The flowers are wind-pollinated and produce no nectar. Female trees form capsule fruits in May and June with small seeds that are spread with white fluff by wind and water. The species is suitable for very large gardens, estates, floodplains, bank restoration, windbreaks and landscape planting. Black Poplar requires plenty of light and a permanently moist soil. Temporary flooding and water stagnation are tolerated, but long-term drought and permanent oxygen-less soil are not.

Year calendar

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
🌸Blooms
🐝Provides nectar
🍓Bears fruit
🍂Has autumn colour

Pruning period

✂️Best pruning period: Aug–Sep

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
✂️ Pruning period

Best pruning period

Black Poplar needs little pruning as a free-growing tree. Remove dead, damaged or crossing branches preferably in late summer or early autumn, so that the tree bleeds less strongly and can still seal off pruning wounds. Avoid heavy pruning and large wounds, because poplar wood is susceptible to rot and branch breakage. Have large or old trees assessed by an arborist.

Botanical profile

Site & soil

Sun, Half shade

Soil type: Clay, Sand, Loam, Humus-rich

Moisture need: Moderately moist, Moist, Wet / marshy

pH: Neutral (6.5–7.5), Chalky (>7.5), Slightly acidic (5.5–6.5)

Nutrient richness: Moderately nutrient-rich, Nutrient-rich

Humus content: Humus-poor, Moderately humus-rich, Humus-rich

Water drainage: Well draining, Moisture-retentive, Poorly draining

Appearance & season

Mature height: 1500-3500cm

Bloom: Mar-Apr

Autumn colour: In October and November, the leaves turn yellow to golden yellow before falling. The autumn color can be attractive, but is usually not long-lasting.

Properties

Salt sensitive: No

Edible: No

Scent: Floral scent: No conspicuous scent. Black Poplar is wind-pollinated and therefore does not attract insects with floral scent or nectar. The sticky buds can spread a pleasant, light balsamic and resinous scent.

Ecological value

Black Poplar is an important host plant for a great many caterpillars and other insects. The leaf and wood are utilized by, among others, the willow beauty, hornet moth, satin moth, poplar hornet moth, poplar hawk-moth, various prominent moths, geometrids and moths. Also, poplar longhorn beetles, leaf beetles, leaf miners, true bugs and aphids live on the tree. These insects form food for birds, bats and other insectivores. Old trees offer nesting sites and living space to birds, bats, beetles, mosses, lichens and fungi with their heavy branches, deeply grooved bark, cavities and dead wood. Beavers and other mammals can utilize the twigs and bark. The wind-pollinated catkins provide no nectar, so the direct value for flower visitors is limited. Bees can sometimes collect resin from the sticky buds for the production of propolis.

Food web & Biodiversity

🐛 Caterpillars & mothsExtremely useful

🐝 Bees & bumblebeesUseful

🪰 HoverfliesUseful

🦋 ButterfliesUseful

🪲 Beetles & insectsVery useful

🐦 BirdsExtremely useful

🐿️ MammalsVery useful

🐞 Other animalsVery useful

Black Poplar derives its greatest food web value from the many caterpillars, beetles and other insects that live from the leaf, buds, bark and wood. These insects feed birds and bats, while old trees provide nest cavities, dead wood and shelter. Twigs and bark can be utilized by beavers and other mammals. The flowers produce no nectar, so the direct value for bees and hoverflies remains limited.

Distribution in the Netherlands