Gray poplar (poplar gray)

Gray poplar (poplar gray)

Appearance: Powerful, a magnificent tree that grows up more or less 30 m in height, with an initially conical crown, later rather circular, vaulted, quite wide, supported on a high, thick trunk. The crown is made of only a few, but very massive main branches, rising steeply. It is most widespread in the upper part. The bark of younger trees is distinctive, cork slats, which grow to black with age, rough lumps. The bark is mostly gray or dark gray to blackish.

Twigs quite thin, usually a bit pendulous. Greenish shoots, initially with gray, easily rubbed off hair. Reddish brown buds, at the top of the hairless long-tailed leaves, roughly triangular in outline, with few, large, arched notches, at the base as if cut or slightly heart-shaped. Young leaves are silvery pubescent on both sides. This hair disappears on the outer side with age, which becomes shiny and dark green. Felt from the bottom, gray-white hair remains,

Dioecious species.
Off-white male cats, with carmine- or purple-red anthers they have 3-4 cm in length. Female cats, greenish during flowering, they are just as long, and in the season of ripening, they still noticeably lengthen. Habitat: The gray poplar likes moist, loose soils and therefore it eagerly grows on river gravel on the banks of rivers.
Occurrence: Widespread and very often planted in many parts of Europe, because it is perfect for anti-erosion and wind protection plantings,

Flowering period: February to April.

General thoughts: According to contemporary views, the gray poplar is not actually an independent species, strictly separable, but a hybrid of the white poplar (white people) i osiki (people tremble). With careful observation, we do indeed come to a conclusion, that the species occupies a position between the two parent species in terms of many features. For example, strong hair is noticeable in the foliage, which is almost absent in aspen. while in the case of the white poplar, it is the feature that gives it its name. On the other hand, the glossy upper leaf surface very strongly resembles the white poplar, while the rather round outline of the leaf and the shallow notches between the carefully drawn tips of the lamina make it look like aspen.

Poplars, as well as willows belonging to the same family, are dioecious trees
– consequently, male and female inflorescences do not coexist on the same plant, but they develop separately on different individuals. There is also another interesting difference. Poplar flowers are very inconspicuous and inconspicuous – they don't need any insect-luring ornaments, pollinating flowers, because they are windproof. However, this feature forces us to "produce” a sufficiently large mass of pollen, which the wind blows randomly, On the other hand, willows are pollinated by insects, mainly bees, – therefore they do not need to produce as much pollen. Poplar seeds are very small, although still recognizable to the naked eye, They have numerous, long hair and thus a large surface area with low weight and can be carried over long distances by the wind,