Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Populus nigra 'Italica'

Male catkins. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Murray Fagg, Federal Highway near Lake George

Leaves and branches. Photographer Jackie Miles

Trunks. Photographer Jackie Miles

Trees in autumn colours. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Murray Fagg, Naas River crossing south of Tharwa, ACT.

Common name

Lombardy Poplar

Family

Salicaceae

Where found

Paddocks, roadsides, gardens, and near streams. Widespread but not common.

Notes

Introduced narrow tree to about 40 m high. Suckers freely from the roots if the parent tree is cut down. Bark initially smooth, grey, becoming darker and fissured, developing round ‘burrs’ with age. Young shoots hairless or almost hairless. Buds very sticky. Leaves alternating up the stems, 4–12 cm long, 40–100 mm wide, usually wider than long; hairless, upper surface usually lustrous, never lobed, margins with gland-tipped teeth, tips gradually tapering to a point. Male and female flowers on different plants. Plants apparently male only. Flowers small, with 0 petals, crimson to yellow-green, in hanging catkins. Catkins appearing before the leaves, 30–70 mm long. Flowers spring. Seeds minute, covered in white hairs, often released in large quantities.

Pest plant ACT.

PlantNET description:  https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Populus~nigra (accessed 16 April 2021)