Populus alba Tree – Alternative Name White Poplar

In a local water meadow the White Poplar, populous alba, has come back to life. The air is heavy with fluffy white ‘cotton’ that covers the ground nearby. This is the seed dispersal method of a lot of similar trees in the Willow family, Salicaceae. Once pollinated they blow off in the breeze to find space to grow. 

The White Poplar is not native to the UK but has been naturalised over most of the UK. It loves water and can grow in the salty winds of coastal areas, too.  The leaves are silvery underneath and darker green on the top. Unlike the long slender leaves of it cousin willows, these leaves broader and crenate at the edges.

Populus alba with fluffy catkins

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