©Neil Wyatt
Black poplar
Scientific name
Populus nigraWhen to see
January to DecemberSpecies information
Category
Statistics
Height: 20-25mAbout
Our native and wild black poplar is a massive tree, with a thick, fissured trunk, that can be found on floodplains, around flooded gravel pits and along ditches. It is particularly prevalent in Shropshire, Cheshire, Somerset, the Vale of Aylesbury and East Anglia, but populations have declined massively over the years. 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.How to identify
The 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.Distribution
Found in England and Wales.In our area
In Staffordshire we estimate there are around 80 black poplars and only a handful of these are females, three confirmed to date. This scarcity of females, in combination with significant drainage of agricultural fields, has led to a steep decline in the species and made them a focus of our Staffordshire Biodiversity Action Plan.
They grow best in boggy conditions, near ditches and floodplains, so if you’re headed out on a riverside walk please keep an eye out for them and let us know if you find any!
In spring (April) the males and females have catkins, the males are red and the females (very rare) have yellow/green catkins. Once female catkins are fertilised they go fluffy in summer (usually June).
If you think you’ve found a black poplar please take photographs of the leaves and bark, and send them and the exact location to our Head of Nature Recovery Networks Dave Cadman via email d.cadman@staffs-wildlife.org.uk
For information about hybrd black poplars head to their species page here.
Did you know?
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.In Staffordshire we estimate there are around 80 black poplars and only a handful of these are females, three confirmed to date. This scarcity of females, in combination with significant drainage of agricultural fields, has led to a steep decline in the species and made them a focus of our Staffordshire Biodiversity Action Plan.
They grow best in boggy conditions, near ditches and floodplains, so if you’re headed out on a riverside walk please keep an eye out for them and let us know if you find any!
In spring (April) the males and females have catkins, the males are red and the females (very rare) have yellow/green catkins. Once female catkins are fertilised they go fluffy in summer (usually June).
If you think you’ve found a black poplar please take photographs of the leaves and bark, and send them and the exact location to our Head of Nature Recovery Networks Dave Cadman via email d.cadman@staffs-wildlife.org.uk