Han-dbook of Trees of the Xoetheen States and Canada. 113 



The Wliite Poplar is a native of central. and 

 southern Europe, the corresponding latitudes 

 of Asia, as far east as the Himalaj'a Moun- 

 tains, and of northern Africa. It was early 

 introduced into this country for ornamental 

 purposes and has become naturalized in many 

 localities throughout northeastern United 

 States and Canada. It is a large tree some- 

 times attaining the height of 100 ft. with 

 trunk 3 or 4 ft. or more in diameter, vested 

 in a characteristic greenish gray and whitish 

 bark of branches and upper trunk, while that 

 at the base of old trunks becomes deeply cleft 

 into firm dark ridges. Il commonly develops 

 a large irregular open broad or rounded top. 

 The contrast between the dark green upper 

 surfaces of its leaves and the velvety white 

 under surfaces causes a pleasing scintillating 

 effect as they are agitated by the wind, and 

 this gives to the White Poplar a peculiar 

 ornamental value. The abundance of the trees 

 about the sites of old country homes attests 

 its long popularity as an ornamental tree and 

 its hardiness, but the rapidity and persistence 

 with which it spreads, by 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 nearly white sap-wood.i 



Leaves quite variable but commonly suborbicu- 

 lar or broad ovate, 2-4 in. lonj^', obtuse or acute 

 at apex, truncate or cordate at base, irregularly 

 dentate, sinuate-dentate or (especially on vigor- 

 ous shoots) palmately .3-5-lobed and witb petioles 

 and branchlets white velvety tomentose at first, 

 but many of the leaves becoming glabrate late in 

 the season dark green above or by late summer 

 often scurfy or nearly glabrous beneath, while 

 those on vigorous shoots retain their white to- 

 mentum beneath ; petioles shorter than the blade : 

 branchlets and bud in winter white scurfy to- 

 mentose. Flowers staminate aments 1^/^-2 in. 

 long (becoming 3-4 in. long) stout; pistillate 

 aments more slender ; stigmas digitately lobed. 

 Fruit: capsules ovoid-oblong, about 3-16 in. long, 

 2-valved. 



Populus ana var. BoUeana (Belle's Poplarl 

 was found in Turkestan in lS7ri. They are trees 

 with narrow pyramidal tops of fastigiate branches 

 and are now extensively planted for ornamental 

 purposes in the Atlantic states. They are con- 

 sidered as of greater ornamental value than is 

 the typical form. 



1. A. W., IV, 98. 



