Gray Poplar
Populus × canescens
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, China, Czechia-Slovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan
AnRo0002
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Salicaceae
- Genus:
- Populus
- Species:
- Populus × canescens
- USDA Symbol:
- POCA14
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 3000 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr
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)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Fall Color:
- yellow
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root suckers after fire or cutting; forms extensive clonal colonies.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, nutrient-rich, well-drained loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in floodplains and wet areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 1–7 days
- Notes:
- Seeds are short-lived and must be sown immediately on moist soil; no dormancy but requires consistent moisture.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI