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Most Russian cities are not very pleasing to the eyes of their inhabitants due to the virtual absence of full-fledged landscaping on their streets. But quite recently, pyramidal poplar was widely used for these purposes. Due to their unpretentiousness and instant growth, you can create an entire alley from poplars without spending a lot of time on it.

Unfortunately, in Lately poplars in disgrace. Doctors are up in arms against them, since during the flowering of these trees the latter produce a huge amount of fluff, which not only contributes to allergies, but is also potentially dangerous in terms of possible fires. However, landscaping experts settlements unanimously assert that to create a favorable environment for life in our megacities, the most suitable tree- poplar.

And this fact was known to the ancient Greeks, who planted poplars in their policies, creating picturesque alleys, in the shadow of which the ancient sages made more than one of their brilliant discoveries. But the fact is that even then it was known that only male specimens of plants should be used in landscaping, since they do not produce fluff, which is notorious for being bothersome. In general, poplar is a multifaceted tree, and botanists still do not stop researching all its properties.

However, in Soviet time, when a plan was adopted for the mass planting of trees in the city, due to an oversight, it was female specimens that were used (for the most part), which led to the well-known negative consequences. The only exceptions are some southern cities, where the pyramidal poplar is represented by individuals of both sexes.

What advantages does this culture have? First of all, these trees are valuable due to their phenomenal resistance to air pollution and dust, which is found everywhere in our cities. In addition, they can be successfully cultivated on almost any soil, where they grow with such amazing speed that has not been seen in other trees of our latitudes. The growth rate of poplar is such that in just a few months you can create a full-fledged protective planting.

Among other things, pyramidal poplar is distinguished by the fact that it releases phytoncides into the air, which not only destroy pathogenic microorganisms, but also help improve air quality in general, which is very important for cities. A feature of poplars is also their biological diversity: today more than 100 species are known, but due to easy interspecific hybridization, many scientists suggest that there are already many more. Such hybrids grow even faster than their parent species (heterosis effect). In addition, they tolerate pruning even better and restore the shape of their crown extremely quickly.

Thus, the pyramidal poplar is a tree that is ideal for landscaping. If you take into account its dioeciousness and select plants taking this into account, then it will not be difficult to get rid of poplar fluff on the streets.

Poplar is a tree that is an interesting example of the durability of natural characteristics. For more than two thousand years, people have been using its ability for vegetative propagation, forming new plants by cuttings from males. But at the same time, the pyramidal poplar does not show the slightest signs of degeneration. According to scientists, its natural distribution area is the Himalayas, Italy and Crimea.

Examples of design of park areas

IN park plantings pyramidal poplar is very beautiful, but in contrast with weeping plants, for example, willows, it can lose its expressiveness. But its combination with white acacia is often used in parks and ancient estates in the steppe regions of Ukraine. It was customary to decorate such alleys with tall fountains to humidify and cool the dry, sun-warmed air. The poplar tree is effectively used in organizing a park area on Mount David in Georgia. IN southern countries Cypress trees are usually used. But here the creators used pyramidal poplar in combination with several varieties of columnar juniper, as well as fir and spruce. Maples, chestnuts and thuja are included in the park composition.

The main properties of poplar used in landscape design

Pyramid poplar is a very good shelter from solar radiation. Small, closely spaced groups of trees serve reliable protection from exposure to scattered radiation. It is also remarkable that the absence of a spreading crown does not block the view of the sky, but at the same time provides good shade and coolness. In this regard, it is appropriate to mention that among natural forest plantations neither columnar nor pyramidal crown forms are observed. At the same time, their pronounced decorative appearance makes it possible to create bright compositions of park areas and urban landscapes.

Framing plantings and landscaping of industrial zones

Thus, for landscaping an industrial zone, trees are chosen that are resistant to such unfavorable factors as increased dust, gas pollution or smoke in the space. Pyramid poplar is included in this number. It is also useful in those plantings that serve to retain and accumulate snow reserves. In this case, it is planted in a continuous mass, as we see along highways. Moreover, in order to avoid the formation of fluff, exclusively male species are selected. An example of framing poplar plantings is one of the parks in Tallinn. It is obvious that the designers who created it first studied in detail the perspectives that allow the building to open up from different points. Then, depending on the distance from which the view of the structure seems most advantageous, the sizes and types of trees were selected. IN in this case The shape of the crown of the pyramidal poplars, from which the green frame for the building in which the court is located, is created, is perfectly coordinated with its main horizontal lines. And chestnuts and maples create a contrast with its vertical architecture.

Among the poplars, there is a group of pyramidal ones, which in the shape of their crown differ sharply from other species. With its monumental, pyramidal, dark green crown it gives a special, southern character to the landscape, reminiscent of slender, pyramidal cypress trees. This slender tree with a very narrow, columnar crown that fits loosely around the trunk standing tree from the earth. This group includes several types of poplars: pyramidal poplar, Soviet pyramidal poplar, Chinese pyramidal poplar, and you can also call black poplar.

Pyramidal poplar - Populus pyramidalis Borkh The homeland of this poplar is not exactly known, presumably - Afghanistan, Asia Minor, the Himalayas. This is a slender tree up to 30 m tall, with a very narrow, columnar crown that covers the trunk of a free-standing tree from the ground. Due to the abundance of this species in Italian culture, it is often called “Italian” or “Lombardy poplar”. Morphologically (except for the shape of the crown) it differs little from black poplar, but ecologically it is very different. The leaves are rhombic or triangular (like sedge), but somewhat smaller; foliation and flowering occur earlier than in black poplar; leaf fall occurs at the end of October - beginning of November, thus its growing season is longer and its frost resistance is lower.
Mostly male specimens are found in culture (female specimens are found in the cities of the Lower Volga region). Longevity in urban plantings depends on habitat conditions. A very impressive tree in single, group, row and alley plantings. Good for quickly creating green protective walls. Soviet pyramidal poplar - Populus x sowietica pyramidalis Jabl. (Populus alba L. x Populus bolleana Lauche) - a tree up to 30 m tall with a narrow pyramidal dense crown. It grows, like all poplars, very quickly. IN middle lane Russia is not blooming. Winter hardiness is high. 85-95% of spring cuttings take root without special treatment. Often found in landscaping.

Chinese pyramidal poplar

Chinese pyramidal poplar (Populus tomentosa) is a tree up to 1-5 m in height, often multi-stemmed. Grows in China, on Far East and in some areas Central Asia. One- and two-year-old poplar shoots are thin, ribbed, like the trunk, greenish-gray in color. They grow up under acute angle, creating a beautiful pyramidal crown. The leaves are rhombic-elliptical in shape with a narrow wedge-shaped base, steeply pointed at the apex, 12x8 cm. Light green above, whitish-bluish below, with finely serrated edges. Leaves fall after persistent frosts.
Chinese pyramidal poplar is light-loving, demanding of moisture, and if there is a lack of it, it sheds its leaves.
Chinese poplar is frost-resistant. Does not need pruning. Roots well with lignified and green cuttings. When planted in heated greenhouses in April, lignified cuttings are suitable for transplanting into open ground in May for further cultivation. In the first year, Chinese poplar needs shading and regular watering, especially in dry, hot summers. In the nursery, seedlings are grown for 5-6 years.
Poplar is used little in landscaping, but deserves wide distribution. It is good to use Chinese pyramidal poplar for planting plots, growing green walls, in single and group plantings of 3-5 copies. It looks good when creating small groups made up of trees of different crown structures.

Poplar propagation

Poplars are easily propagated both vegetatively (cuttings or root suckers) and seeds.

Shoots (cuttings) of poplars

Poplar branches take root easily when placed in water or even stuck into moist soil (the exceptions are goat willow and aspen). In order to grow poplar seedlings from cuttings, it is enough in the spring (preferably before the leaves begin to bloom or, in extreme cases, when the buds just begin to burst) to cut annual shoots of these trees. Annual shoots are easy to identify: these are the thinnest branches at the ends of large branches or at the top of the trunk, on which the buds are located directly and on which scars from last year's leaves are visible. As a rule, the length of one-year growth is up to several tens of centimeters (in the lower part of the tree crown such growth can be much shorter). It is better not to use parts of older branches for cuttings: they usually do not have viable buds.
After cutting annual branches, divide them into cuttings 15-20 cm long. Make sure that each cutting has several living buds, especially in its upper part (the one that was closer to the top of the shoot). Plant the cut cuttings in moist soil at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, with the upper end up (this is mandatory) and in such a way that approximately a quarter of the length of the cutting with one or two buds remains above the ground. After planting, regularly water the bed with cuttings until the shoots growing from the buds begin to grow quickly and reach a height of 10-15 cm.
By autumn, from the planted cuttings, seedlings several tens of centimeters high will be ready for planting in a permanent place.

Poplar seeds

Poplars reproduce just as easily by seeds. The widely known “poplar fluff” is the seeds of poplars along with hairs, thanks to which the seeds are easily dispersed by the wind. You can collect poplar seeds from the ground (in those places where, thanks to the wind, noticeable lumps of poplar fluff collect), or you can directly from the trees - at a time when the seed boxes begin to open and the seeds begin to fly away. Collected seeds remain viable for a very short time - from several days to several weeks. Therefore, it is best to sow them almost immediately. To do this, you need to prepare a small bed (preferably in an area that is most thoroughly cleared of weeds), level its surface with a rake, and then spread the collected lumps of fluff with seeds on the leveled surface (either evenly over the entire surface of the bed, or in rows). After this, pour water from a watering can onto the decomposed fluff - as a result, the hairs on the seeds will stick together and the seeds will end up directly on the ground. Do not cover the seeds with soil - let them remain right on the surface. Water them regularly, so that the surface of the earth is moist all the time; You can also cover it with some kind of covering material (for example, polyethylene) for the first two or three days. In just a few days, shoots will appear. When the seedlings reach a height of 5-6 cm, they must be thinned out so that the distance between plants is 5-10 cm (otherwise the thickened seedlings will interfere with each other’s growth). By autumn you will receive poplar seedlings suitable for permanent planting.

poplar root

The root system of poplars is quite powerful, extending far beyond the crown projection, with big amount root suckers actively capable of reproduction. Specially digging up pieces of poplar roots for cutting cuttings is a very labor-intensive task, but you can always find ready-made root shoots not far from mature trees.

Family: willows (Salicaceae).

Homeland

Poplar is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere.

Form: tree.

Description

Poplar is a large tree, its height reaches 40-45, and sometimes 60 meters. All types of poplars are deciduous. The shape of the crown, depending on the type, can be tent-shaped, ovoid, pyramidal. The poplar bark on the trunk is gray or brown-gray in color; on the branches it is olive-gray. The root system is powerful, superficial, occupies large area. The leaves are glossy, dark green above and white or greenish-white below, on pubescent petioles, lanceolate, oval or other shape.

As a rule, poplar is a dioecious plant; monoecious species are rare. Poplar blossoms begin in the spring, even before the leaves appear. Male and female specimens form externally different spike-shaped inflorescences, which, as they mature, turn from erect to pendulous (the so-called “catkins”). Poplar fruits are capsules that ripen in early summer. Very small poplar seeds are equipped with numerous very fine fibers - “poplar fluff”.

The genus includes about 90 species of poplar. They are divided into 6 sections.

Mexican poplars (Abaso):

Mexican poplar (P. mexicana) is a smaller plant form than typical representatives of the genus. Distributed in northern Mexico and adjacent areas of the United States. It is a cross between poplar and aspen.

Deltoid poplars (Aigeiros):

or Osokor (P. nígra) is widespread in Europe and Siberia. Large tree with a wide spreading crown and a powerful trunk, reaching 30 meters in height. Relatively undemanding to soil, quickly gains green mass, and forms well. Traditionally used in urban and park landscapes.

Alamo (P. deltoides). Distribution area: east and central part North America. Grows up to 30 meters in height. The bark on the trunk is covered with deep cracks. The leaves are large, serrated along the edges, and have a bright green color. The species is quite unpretentious, but short-lived. The wood of delta poplar is fragile. Rarely used for landscaping.

or Italian poplar (R. pyramidalis) – tall tree with a columnar crown. Morphologically similar to black poplar, but has a longer growing season. Does not have high frost resistance. Decorative, quite often used in urban landscaping.

Poplar Bolle (R. bolleana) in wildlife found in Central Asia. It has a columnar crown. Prefers fertile, well-moistened soils, is heat-loving and drought-resistant. Not fragile - able to withstand under strong wind. Cleans the air well. Decorative, recommended for landscaping areas in the southern regions.

Leucoid poplars (Leucoides):

Variegated poplar (P. heterophýlla) is native to the Himalayas and southern China. It differs from other species in its very thick shoots, as well as large buds, leaves and “earrings”.

or Silver poplar (P. álba) is distributed throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe. It reaches a height of 30 meters. It has a dense spreading crown. The dark green leaves of the tree turn lemon yellow in autumn. The bottom of the leaves and shoots are felt-white. Very decorative, winter-hardy. In landscape design it is used to create large park compositions and in single plantings.

Trembling poplar or(P. trémula) is widespread on the Eurasian continent. Prefers fertile, well-moistened soils and is a forest-forming species. Large size, reaching 35 meters in height. Instances of this species take root well, grow quickly, but have low resistance to diseases. Decorative, often used in landscaping areas.

Balsam poplars (Tacamahaca):

Balsam poplar (R. balsamifera) w – quite tall, up to 25 meters, tree with a wide-ovate crown. Decorative, grows quickly and forms a green mass. Easily takes root. Not resistant to diseases and pests. Tolerates partial shade well and is frost-resistant. Popular in culture - suitable for planting in forest parks and along the banks.

Laurel poplar (R. laurifolia) grows in Siberia along river banks on moist gravelly and pebble soils. It reaches a height of 20 meters. The low-branched crown has a tent-shaped shape. The leaves of this type of poplar are shaped and appearance resemble laurel leaves. Grows slower than other members of the genus. Undemanding to soil, winter-hardy.

Poplar Maksimovich (R. maximowiczii) is found in the wild in northern China and Japan. Large-sized, growing up to 30 meters in height, with a trunk diameter reaching 1 meter. Tolerates transplantation well. It is winter-hardy and light-loving, but does not tolerate drought. Affected by diseases and pests. Suitable for landscaping parks and city streets.

Poplar Simon or Chinese poplar (R. simonii) comes from East Asia. Relatively low - grows up to 20 meters. It has a decorative oval crown; there is also a weeping (drooping) and pyramidal form of this species. Only male specimens are found in culture. It propagates vegetatively; the rooting rate of cuttings without treatment is extremely high. It is rarely used for landscaping due to its fragile wood.

Sweet poplar (P. suaveolens) is a relatively low, up to 20 meters, tree with a dense ovoid crown. The species got its name due to its fragrant, resinous buds. There is a pyramidal form of this species, its crown is narrowly ovoid. Light-loving, tolerates excess moisture well. Very winter-hardy. In urban conditions it is short-lived, but produces abundant shoots. Used in group and single plantings.

Turanga:

Turanga Euphrates or Ephrata poplar (P. euphrática) lives in Asia and Africa. The leaf shape is ovoid or elliptical with small teeth. The species is drought tolerant.

Currently, many poplar hybrids have been developed. Among the most popular poplar hybrids in Russia:

Poplar Moscow - P. suaveolens x P. laurifolia

Berlin poplar - P. laurifolia x P. pyramidalis

Canadian poplar - R. deltoides x R. nigra

Silver pyramidal poplar or Soviet pyramidal poplar - P. alba x P. bolleana.

Growing conditions

Poplar is quite unpretentious, but prefers fertile, mineral-rich, well-aerated soils. Many types of poplar do not tolerate waterlogged soils, but among the hybrid varieties you can find those that are not afraid of waterlogging.

Application

Being a fast-growing tree with decorative crown and foliage, poplar is widely used in landscape design. All its types are excellent for both single and group plantings, and poplar alleys are classics of park landscapes. Poplars are decorative not only due to the shape of their crowns - they have beautiful foliage, which in some species turns yellow or golden in autumn.

For landscaping, it is recommended to use male specimens of the plant - they do not produce poplar fluff. When choosing a place for planting, it should be taken into account that the powerful root system of poplar can, over time, crack the covering of a path or site and even the foundation of a building, so it is better to plant poplar at a distance of 30-60 meters from buildings and not too close to paths.

Poplar is an effective air filter; it is successfully used for urban landscaping and as a forest-forming species. Application of poplar in various industries National economy very diverse. Thus, its wood is used in construction, furniture and paper industries, for industrial use Hybrids and genetically modified plant varieties with specified wood properties are developed. Natural dyes are made from poplar inflorescences and leaves. Black poplar buds are used in folk medicine, as well as in the production of the famous Riga balsam.

Care

The soil around the poplar should be well aerated, so it should be periodically loosened and weeds removed. Sodding of the soil surface can be disastrous for the plant; to minimize it, shrubs can be planted near poplars.

Doesn't need a haircut. To maintain decorativeness, it is recommended to remove dry branches and lower branches. Most types of poplar are frost-resistant, winter care they don't need it. For cultivation, it is better to purchase cuttings of hybrid varieties of poplar that are resistant to diseases and pests.

Reproduction

In nature, poplar reproduces by seed. This technology can also be used in culture. The difficulty is that seeds for propagation must be sown immediately after collection, and they must be collected when ripe. Therefore, it would be optimal to create conditions for poplar sowing that are close to natural - in the season when poplar fluff flies, in suitable place fence off the area where it will accumulate and spray it with water. The method is not popular due to its complexity.

In practice, a much simpler method of poplar propagation is used - cuttings. Do it in early spring, before the buds open. Cuttings of only male poplar specimens are used. For rooting, take last year's shoots up to 12 cm long; they must have at least two buds. The cuttings are planted at a distance of at least 10 cm from each other, deepening them so that the buds remain above the surface of the soil. Immediately after planting, they are watered. Watering will be a daily procedure for the cuttings until they reach 15 cm in height, after which the soil can be moistened as needed. Within a year, young plants will be ready for planting. permanent places. Best time for planting poplars - early spring; specimens planted at other times take root much worse.

Some poplar species reproduce by root suckers. However, this method of growing poplar is rarely practiced - plant specimens obtained this way have a weak root system, are more often affected by diseases and pests.

Diseases and pests

The most common diseases of poplars are some types of tree canker and necrosis. Sick trees must be eliminated and stumps treated with creosol and fuel oil.

Young poplar seedlings can be susceptible to fungal diseases, against which agrotechnical and silvicultural measures should be applied, and soil waterlogging should be avoided.

The list of poplar pests includes enough a large number of species of insects that lay larvae on its leaves. To combat them it is necessary to use insecticides. Before choosing a product, you need to decide what kind of pest you are dealing with.