Handbook of Teeks of ti-if Northern S 



The \\ liite Poplar is a native of central aud 

 Eoutheni I'Airupr, tlie enrrespoiiding latitmles 

 of Asia, as far east as the Himalaya Moun- 

 tains, and of northern Africa, it was early 

 introduced into this country for ornamental 

 purposes and lias become naturalized in many 

 localities throuyUout northeastern liiited 

 States and Canada. It is a large tree some- 

 times attaining the height of 100 ft. with 

 trunk o or 4 ft. or more iir diameter, Nested 

 in a eluvracteristic greenish gray and wliitish 

 bark of branches and upper trvud-;, while that 

 at the base of old trunks becomes deeply cleft 

 into firm dark ridges. It couunonly de\cIops 

 a large irregular open broad or roundi'd top. 

 The contrast between t!ie dark green upper 

 surfaces of its leaves and the \-elvety while 

 uuiier surfaces causes a pleasing scintillating 

 eh'ect as they are agitated by the wind, and 

 this gives to the White Poplar a peculiar 

 ornamental value. The aliundance of the liees 

 about the sites of old eoiuitry liomes attests 

 its long popularity as an luaianiental tree ami 

 its hardiness, but the rapidity and persi^lence 

 with which it spreads, bj' means of its long 

 stoloniferous roots, makes it in some places a 

 nuisance. 



Its wood is light, soft, tough and of a red- 

 dish yellow color with nearl}' white sap-wood. i 



LearrK quire \"ai'ial>lp luit comnienly suliorbicn- 

 lar or broad ovate, 2-4 in. lon>^-, obtuse or acute 

 at apex, truncate or cordate at tiase, irregularl.y 

 dentate, sinuate-dentate or (especially on vigor- 

 ous shoois) palmately .'l-.-.-lobed and with petioles 

 and branchlets white V('l\'i'ty tom(aitose at first, 

 but many of the leaves bccniniDg glabrate late in 

 the season dark .i^^reen above or l)y late summer 

 often scurfy or nearly glabrous beneath, while 

 those on vigorous shoots retain their white to- 

 mentum beneath : petioles shorter than tlie blade ; 

 branchlets and hud in wdnter white sciirf.v to- 

 mentose. Fhjirrrs starninate araents I'--- in. 

 long (becoming .',-4 in. long) stout: pistillate 

 aments nuice slender: stigmas digitately hjbed. 

 Fruit: caiisules ocoid-oblong, abont .'MG in. long, 

 i;-valvcd. 



Popilhia nlTjti \-ar. [lolhaun _ (node's Poplar) 

 was found in Tnrki'stan in bsT.'. Tliey aro trees 

 with narrow- pyianiidal tops rif f;is(i::late brnncbes 

 and arc now- cxlrosivel,\- iilanted for ornamenta! 

 rmrposes in tbe .Mlantic s(ates. 'I'bey ai-c con- 

 .sidei-ed as of gieaOo- <m n;iiiieu(al \alue than is 

 the typical foiiu. 



1. A. W., IV, 96. 



PATES AND Canada. IIP. 



