White Poplar
Populus alba
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Austria, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, East Aegean Is., France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Roger Culos
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Salicaceae
- Genus:
- Populus
- Species:
- Populus alba
- USDA Symbol:
- POAL7
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 3000 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Acleris fuscana, American hornet moth (Sesia tibialis), Blinded Sphinx (Paonias excaecata), Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), incurve tent caterpillar (Malacosoma incurva), maple-basswood leafroller (Sparganothis pettitana), Paraleucoptera albella, Phyllonorycter scudderella, poplar leafminer (Phyllonorycter populiella), Spiramater lutra, Western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californica), White Satin Moth (Leucoma salicis), White Underwing (Catocala relicta), White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma), Red-spotted Purple (Basilarchia arthemis)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Moths:Angle-lined Prominent (Clostera inclusa), common aspen leafminer (Phyllocnistis populiella)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from roots and root crown after fire or cutting; aggressive suckering habit.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to alkaline)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Thrives in riverbanks and floodplains
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds are short-lived and must be sown fresh on moist soil; light aids germination. Typically propagated by cuttings rather than seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI