Populus nigra Italica - Black Poplar

Populus nigra 'Italica', the Italian Poplar, is the iconic alignment tree of rivers, canals, banks and roads. This tall tree is immediately recognisable with its dark and slender silhouette, and almost columnar habit. It is elegantly adorned with rustling foliage of a shiny dark green colour that turns a beautiful golden yellow in autumn. With rapid growth and good longevity, this robust poplar is adaptable to all soils that remain moist. Superb as a large windbreak curtain on the outskirts of the countryside, it is perfect near water sources.

Populus nigra 'Italica' belongs to the Salicaceae family. It is often considered a subspecies of the black poplar, introduced to Italy in the 18th century from Afghanistan and Iran. Adapted to moist to wet soils, this poplar develops an extensive and sprawling root system, and has a tendency to sucker. For this reason, it should be planted away from buildings (at least 30 m (98.4 ft)). The Italian poplar can reach a height of 30 m (98.4 ft) with a spread of 5 m (16.4 ft), and its growth is fast. It is highly resistant to cold. This tree can live up to 150 years.

It develops a vertical trunk that rises to the top of the crown, without large secondary branches, but with multiple fine branches which are almost vertical and tightly pressed against the trunk. They form a dense crown, shaped like a flame. With time, on mature specimens, the trunk hollows out from the inside, and its greyish to blackish bark becomes rough and increasingly channelled. The young bark is smooth, thin, and greyish in colour. In early spring, its triangular to lozenge-shaped leaves appear, leathery, with serrated edges, attached to a flattened petiole, dark green and shiny on the upper side, turning yellow in October before falling. The Italian Poplar is a dioecious plant, meaning there are male and female individuals. Flowering occurs in March-April. The inflorescences are pendulous catkins: the male catkins, without peduncles, are reddish-purple, while the female catkins, suspended on a peduncle, are tinged with yellowish-green. After wind pollination, the female trees bear fruits grouped in clusters, with cottony seeds that will be dispersed by the wind.

The Italian poplar is the host of an elegant night butterfly called the Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi).

The Italian Poplar is suitable for large gardens or for landscaping parks. It is perfect, for example, along watercourses and large natural ponds. It could be planted alongside alder, willow and ash, which also appreciate the proximity of water. When planted closely together, this tree can also serve as a large windbreak screen.