Black Poplar

Populus nigra

Salicaceae · broadleaf deciduous tree · introduced

Last updated March 9, 2026

Data Coverage 4 of 6 dimensions

Site Data

Threats

Cultivars

Phenology

GDD Thresholds

Puget Sound

Quick Facts

Height

100 ft

Spread

65 ft

Growth Rate

Fast

Light

Full Sun

Soil

Adaptable

Water

High

Hardiness

Zone Zones 3a–8b

Bloom Time

March to April

Origin

western Europe, north Africa and Siberia

Phenological Calendar

Stage	Typical Window	What to Look For
Bud break BBCH 07	Feb 15-Mar 15	Buds swelling and beginning to open; first green tissue visible
Bloom start BBCH 61	Mar 1-Mar 31	First open flowers visible; flowers white
Bloom end / petal fall BBCH 69	Apr 1-Apr 15	Last petals falling; flower structures fading
Leaf emergence BBCH 11	Mar 1-Apr 1	First leaves fully unfurled on new growth
Fruit/seed development BBCH 71	Mar 15-May 31	Fruit or seed structures forming; fruit color: white
Leaf drop BBCH 93	Oct 15-Nov 30	Leaves yellowing and dropping; no significant fall color display
Dormancy BBCH 97	Nov 15-Feb 28	Leafless; no active growth; dormant buds set

Diseases (18)

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae Bacterial Blight Symptom category — not a single disease Canker Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly Agrobacterium tumefaciens) Crown Gall Taphrina spp. Leaf Blister Uredinales (rust fungi) Leaf Rust abiotic (drought, heat stress) or bacterial (Xylella fast... Leaf Scorch [VERIFY] Leaf and Shoot Blight Marssonina spp. Marssonina Leaf Spot Podosphaera aphanis var. aphanis Powdery Mildew Septoria spp. Septoria Leaf Spot and Canker Sclerotinia spp. White Mottled Rot Armillaria ostoyae Armillaria Root Rot Daldinia concentrica Aspen Trunk Rot Ceratocystis fimbriata (black canker); Cytospora notastro... Black Canker (Target Canker) Cryptosphaeria punctata Cryptosphaeria Canker (Snake Canker) Cytospora canker Cytospora Canker [VERIFY] Ink Spot Cryptostroma corticale Sooty-bark Canker

Pests (14)

Aphidoidea Aphid Acanthococcus azaleae Azalea bark scale Prionoxystus robiniae Carpenterworm Hyphantria cunea Fall webworm Lepidosaphes ulmi Oystershell scale Various (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera) Borer Edwardsiana rosae Rose leafhopper Leucoma salicis Satin moth Malacosoma spp. Tent caterpillar Pemphigus populitransversus Poplar Petiole Gall Aphids Phyllonorycter apparella Aspen leaf blotch miner Euhexomyza schineri Poplar twiggall fly Various (Gracillariidae, Agromyzidae) Leaf blotchminer Pemphigus bursarius Lettuce root aphid

Cultivars (1)

'Italica'

Common name: Lombardy Poplar Lombardy Black Poplar; Mature height: 70–90 ft

Hardy to USDA Zone 3