Populus nigra Lombardy Gold - Black Poplar

Populus nigra 'Lombardy Gold' is a Black Poplar that should not be confused with the Italian Poplar. It is a compact columnar variety with golden foliage. It blooms between February and March. Beautiful as a windbreak, it is perfect for moist soils. It has a slower growth rate than the species.

Populus nigra belongs to the Salicaceae family. It is native to central and southern Europe, temperate Asia, and northern Africa. Depending on the region, it is also known as Liard, Liardier, Swiss Poplar, French Poplar and Common Poplar. Thriving in moist to wet soils, this poplar develops an extensive and spreading root system, and it tends to sucker. For this reason, it should be planted away from buildings (at least 30 m).

Black Poplar can reach a height of 30 m and a width of 9 m, and it has a fast growth rate. This tree, highly resistant to cold, can live up to 400 years. Black Poplar has an upright trunk that reaches the top of the crown, with large secondary branches and multiple fine branches that may be more or less erect. It is branched quite low on the trunk. The overall shape is irregular, and on mature specimens, the dark brown to blackish bark becomes rough, with a characteristic diamond pattern. Sometimes, the trunk may have large gnarls. The young bark is smooth, thin, and greyish. Small buds appear on the branches in early spring. Black Poplar is a dioecious plant, meaning there are male and female individuals. It flowers in March-April. The inflorescences are pendant catkins: the male catkins, without peduncles, are reddish-purple, and the female catkins, hanging on peduncles, are greenish-yellow. After wind pollination, the female trees bear fruits in clusters, and the cottony seeds are dispersed by the wind.

The 'Lombardy Gold' Black Poplar is characterised by its upright and narrow habit and its small size. Its foliage, which is dark green in the species, is golden here. It reaches a height of 4 m after 10 years of cultivation. At maturity, it reaches a maximum height of 6 m and a width of 2.5 m.

Populus nigra 'Lombardy Gold' prefers moist and humus-bearing soil. Like other poplars, it is perfect, for example, along rivers or near ponds and large natural pools. It can be associated with Common Alder, Willow, and Ash, which also appreciate proximity to water. When planted closely together, this tree can also serve as a small windbreak.