BLACK POPLAR TREES
The Black Poplar ( Populus nigra ssp betulifolia ) is Britain's rarest native timber tree. The black poplar is endangered in Sussex and most of Britain. There are now only 33 mature black poplar trees in Sussex.
Reasons for its decline and current threats
Black poplars grow slower than some foreign poplars, so around 200 years ago, they started to be replaced by faster growing non native poplars. Very few trees have been planted since the mid 1800s century. Very few trees germinate naturally either, because a male and a female tree need to be close together, and in perfect natural conditions in order for the seeds to germinate. The seedlings that do grow easily hybridise with non-native poplars.
Nowadays, the main threat to the tree is the massive draining of our wetlands.
Black poplar facts
- The black poplar was reputed for its relative resistance to fire and was often used for floorboards (particularly in Oast houses) and around fireplaces
- The tree was often used as a marker between land boundaries in flood plains
- The natural springiness of the wood meant it was used for clogs and cart wheels
- The wood can absorb paraffin and so was used to make matches.
- It is also very resistant to rot, and the branches often grow in a curve, which made it excellent for building timber framed buildings
- Black poplars have male and female trees
- Black poplars like to grow in wet areas like river floodplains
Black poplar spotting - field survey hints
The leaves are triangular, longer than they are wide, with the widest part below the middle. They usually have blunt 'teeth', and they lack the two tiny glands where the leaf joins the stalk - common in hybrids.
