 Best Sellers Black Cottonwood , Western Balsam Poplar, California Poplar Populus trichocarpa Detailed Listing For Botanical Name: Populus trichocarpa Common Name: Black Cottonwood , Western Balsam Poplar, California Poplar Germination Test Type:  estimate Minimum Hardiness Zone: 5 | | Growing Info, follow in order: Scarification: Soak in water, let stand in water for 6 hours. Stratification: none required. Germination: No pre-germination treatment required; sow immediately, surface sow and keep moist. | In a Nutshell: * It is a large tree, growing to a height of 30-50 m and a trunk diameter of over 2 m, which makes it the largest poplar species in the Americas. * After logging operations, it sometimes regenerates naturally from rooting of partially buried fragments of branches or from stumps. Sprouting from roots also occurs. The species also has the ability to abscise shoots complete with green leaves. These shoots drop to the ground and may root where they fall or may be dispersed by water transport. In some situations, abscission may be one means of colonizing exposed sandbars .
more... * Western balsam poplar has a long history of herbal use. It was commonly used by many native North American Indian tribes who valued it especially for its antiseptic and expectorant properties, using it to treat lung complaints, wounds, skin conditions etc. It is still commonly employed in modern herbalism with much the same uses. The leaf buds are covered with a resinous sap that has a strong turpentine odour and a bitter taste. They also contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body. The buds are antiscorbutic, antiseptic, balsamic, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant and tonic. They are taken internally in the treatment of bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections. They should not be prescribed to patients who are sensitive to aspirin. Externally, the buds are used to treat colds, sinusitis, arthritis, rheumatism, muscular pain and dry skin conditions. They can be put in hot water and used as an inhalant to relieve congested nasal passages. The buds are harvested in the spring before they open and are dried for later use. more... |
[ edit ] Description It is a large tree, growing to a height of 30–50 m and a trunk diameter of over 2 m, which makes it the largest poplar species in the Americas. It is normally fairly short-lived, but some trees may live for up to 400 years (Forbes 2006). A cottonwood discovered in Haines, Alaska set the national record at 101 ft (31 m) tall and 32.5 ft (9.9 m) around. [ 1 ] The bark is grey and covered with lenticels , becoming thick and deeply fissured on old trees. The bark can become hard enough to cause sparks when cut with a chainsaw. [ 1 ] The stem is grey in the older parts and light brown in younger parts. The crown is usually roughly conical and quite dense. In large trees the lower branches droop downwards. Spur shoots are common. The wood has a light coloring and a straight grain.The leaves are 7–20 cm long with a glossy dark green upper side and glaucous light grey-green underside; larger leaves, up to 30 cm long, may be produced on stump sprouts and very vigorous young trees. The leaves are alternate, elliptic with a crenate margin and an acute tip, and reticulate venation (see leaf terminology ). The petiole is reddish. The buds are conical, long, narrow and sticky, with a strong balsam scent in spring when they open. P. trichocarpa has an extensive and aggressive root system, which can invade and damage drainage systems. Sometimes the roots can even damage the foundations of buildings by drying out the soil. [ edit ] Reproduction Flowering and Fruiting Male (pollen-producing) catkin and leaf buds (March 22) Sherwood , Oregon, USA P. trichocarpa is normally dioecious ; male and female catkins are borne on separate trees. The species reaches flowering age at about 10 years. Flowers may appear in early March to late May in Washington and Oregon , and sometimes as late as mid-June in northern and interior British Columbia , Idaho , and Montana . Staminate catkins contain 30 to 60 stamens , elongate to 2 to 3 cm, and are deciduous . Pistillate catkins at maturity are 8 to 20 cm long with rotund-ovate , three carpellate subsessile fruits 5 to 8 mm long. Each capsule contains many minute seeds with long, white cottony hairs. Seed Production and Dissemination The seed ripens and is disseminated by late May to late June in Oregon and Washington , but frequently not until mid-July in Idaho and Montana . Abundant seed crops are usually produced every year. Attached to its cotton, the seed is light and buoyant and can be transported long distances by wind and water. Although highly viable, longevity of P. trichocarpa seed under natural conditions may be as short as 2 weeks to a month. This can be increased with cold storage. Seedling development Moist seedbeds are essential for high germination, and seedling survival depends on continuously favorable conditions during the first month. Wet bottom lands of rivers and major streams frequently provide such conditions, particularly where bare soil has been exposed or new soil laid down. Germination is epigeal . P. trichocarpa seedlings do not usually become established in abundance after logging unless special measures are taken to prepare the bare, moist seedbeds required for initial establishment. Where seedlings become established in great numbers, they thin out naturally by age 5 because the weaker seedlings of this shade-intolerant species are suppressed. Vegetative reproduction Due to its high levels of rooting hormones, P. trichocarpa sprouts readily. After logging operations, it sometimes regenerates naturally from rooting of partially buried fragments of branches or from stumps. Sprouting from roots also occurs. The species also has the ability to abscise shoots complete with green leaves. These shoots drop to the ground and may root where they fall or may be dispersed by water transport. In some situations, abscission may be one means of colonizing exposed sandbars . Physical Characteristics  Populus trichocarpa is a deciduous Tree growing to 40 m (131ft) by 12 m (39ft) at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from Apr to May, 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 is not self-fertile. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade.It requires moist soil. |
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