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Herbal Database Search ResultsBack to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven Populus deltoides
Physical CharacteristicsA decidious tree growing to 30m by 20m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 2. It is in flower from March to April, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Wind. The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. Habitats and Possible LocationsWoodland, Canopy.Edible UsesInner bark; Leaves; Seed.
Inner bark[105, 161, 177, 257]. A mucilaginous texture, it is usually
harvested in the spring[257]. There are no more details but inner bark is
often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc
or added to cereals when making bread.
Medicinal UsesDisclaimerAnodyne; Anthelmintic; Antiinflammatory; Antiscorbutic; Blood purifier; Febrifuge; Poultice; Tonic.
The bark contains salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into
salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body[222, 238]. The bark is therefore
anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating
rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps[238].
An infusion of the bark has been used in the treatment of whooping cough and
tuberculosis[257]. A decoction of the bark has been used to rid the body of
intestinal worms[257]. The bark has been eaten as a treatment for colds[257].
Other UsesBiomass; Dye; Pioneer; Rooting hormone; Shelterbelt; Soil stabilization; Wood.
An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types
of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water
for a day[172].
Cultivation detailsAn easily grown plant, it does well in a heavy cold damp soil[1, 269] but thrives best on moist well-drained, fine sandy loams or silts close to streams[269]. Prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain[11, 200]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[11]. It does not do well in exposed upland sites[11]. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition[200]. Tolerates both hot and cool summers[200]. Fairly wind-tolerant[200]. The tree is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 60 to 150cm, an annual temperature in the range of 8 to 14°C, and a pH of 4.5 to 8[269].A fast-growing but short-lived tree[227, 229, 274]. It can make new shoots up to 1.5 metres long each year[274] and is often planted for timber in Europe[50]. It does have drawbacks, though, since it is easily storm-damaged, is easily damaged by fire when young and is much attacked by fungi[227]. Like the quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) the leaves of this species rustle even in light breezes[274]. The trees can be coppiced[149], sprouting freely from the base of the trunk and the roots if they are cut down[227]. Poplars have very extensive and aggressive root systems that can invade and damage drainage systems. Especially when grown on clay soils, they should not be planted within 12 metres of buildings since the root system can damage the building's foundations by drying out the soil[11]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200]. PropagationSeed - must be sown as soon as it is ripe in spring[113]. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening[200]. Surface sow or just lightly cover the seed in trays in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the old frame. If sufficient growth is made, it might be possible to plant them out in late summer into their permanent positions, otherwise keep them in the cold frame until the following late spring and then plant them out. Most poplar species hybridize freely with each other, so the seed may not come true unless it is collected from the wild in areas with no other poplar species growing[11].Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 20 - 40cm long, November/December in a sheltered outdoor bed or direct into their permanent positions. Very easy. Suckers in early spring[78]. SuppliersFor more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look. PFAF Web PagesThis plant is mentioned in the following web pages
Web References
References for the family Salicaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources. Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images. References[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951 [11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981 [43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950 [50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964 [60] Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955 [78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948 [105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976 [113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009 [149] Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987 ISBN 0-292-78958-3 [161] Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture. [171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952 [172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. [177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169 [200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 [222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225 [226] Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989 ISBN 0889025649 [227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206 [229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622 [235] Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5 [238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 [257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9 [269] Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983 Readers CommentsMain Search Page Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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