Black Poplar
Populus nigra
Salicaceae · broadleaf deciduous tree · introduced
Last updated
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
Fall Color
Yellow
Origin
western Europe, north Africa and Siberia
Watch for this season
Bacterial BlightHigh
Spring Infection Period
Cytospora CankerHigh
Spring Canker Activation
Leaf BlisterHigh
Spring Spore Germination and Infection
Oystershell scaleHigh
Crawler Emergence
+ 8 more — see full disease and pest lists below
Phenological Calendar
| Stage | Typical Window |
|---|---|
| Bud break BBCH 07 | Feb 15-Mar 15 |
| Bloom start BBCH 61 | Mar 1-Mar 31 |
| Bloom end / petal fall BBCH 69 | Apr 1-Apr 15 |
| Leaf emergence BBCH 11 | Mar 1-Apr 1 |
| Fruit/seed development BBCH 71 | Mar 15-May 31 |
| Leaf drop BBCH 93 | Oct 15-Nov 30 |
| Dormancy BBCH 97 | Nov 15-Feb 28 |
Diseases: Regionally Documented (16)
Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae Bacterial Blight Cytospora spp. (Valsa spp., Leucostoma spp.) Cytospora Canker Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly Agrobacterium tumefaciens) Crown Gall Taphrina spp. Leaf Blister Uredinales (rust fungi) Leaf Rust [VERIFY] Leaf and Shoot Blight Marssonina Leaf Spot Multiple obligate biotrophic fungi (Erysiphales: Erysipha... Powdery Mildew Septoria Leaf Spot and Canker Sclerotinia spp. White Mottled Rot Armillaria spp. — primarily A Armillaria Root Rot Daldinia concentrica Aspen Trunk Rot Ceratocystis fimbriata (black canker); Cytospora notastro... Black Canker (Target Canker) Cryptosphaeria punctata Cryptosphaeria Canker (Snake Canker) [VERIFY] Ink Spot Sooty-bark Canker
Pests: Regionally Documented (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
Data Maturity Structured Multiple sources. Expert review underway.