All about balsam poplar

Poplar is one of the most widespread trees, it is no coincidence that in Latin its name sounds like "Populus". It is a tall tree with a decorative crown and fragrant buds. Few people know that this plant has many varieties, we will talk about one of them in our review.

Balsamic poplar can be found in all climatic regions of our country, many of its subspecies are native to America, Canada, China and Mongolia. The crop has a high growth rate and good productivity. In terms of the energy of its growth, it bypasses such species as weeping birch and ordinary ash. At the age of 20, the height of the balsamic poplar can reach 18 m, and the timber stock is 400 m3 / ha. It is no coincidence that this particular plant has become widespread in the construction industry in the Ural region.

The crown is broadly ovate, slightly branched. Young shoots have few ribs - they are visible only on a single strong growth, but over time they also lose their ribbing and acquire rounded outlines. Buds are brownish-green, pointed on the axis, giving off a fragrant odor. The leaves are elongated, 8–12 cm long. The shape of the base of the leaf plates is round or broadly wedge-shaped, the apex is tapered-tapered, the edges are finely toothed. The leaves are dark green above, whitish below, the young ones exude a fragrant smell. In young leaves, the petiole is pubescent, in old leaves it becomes naked. Male earrings are 7–10 cm long, female ones 15–20 cm long.

Balsamic poplar blooms in April-May until the leaves open. The fruits ripen in the middle of summer. The seeds have hairs, when they ripen, the capsule cracks, and the entire seed mass is carried by the wind throughout the surrounding area, clogging the soil and air. That is why it is recommended to plant only male plants in settlements. Under favorable conditions, balsam poplars can live up to 160 years. Propagated by cuttings, root suckers and seeds.

Best of all, this type of poplar grows and develops in floodplain areas with fertile alluvial soil. Prefers sunny locations, but can grow in light partial shade. Poplars require intensive irrigation. The crop is resistant to frost and gas, it is tolerant of harsh cold conditions, and can grow farther north than all other poplar varieties. These plants also easily tolerate heat. They develop successfully on dry river beds.

They are distinguished by resistance to fungal and bacterial infections, are not susceptible to damage by insect pests, and retain their condition when attacked by rodents. The only enemies of such a plant are poplar moth and rust, which are common in urban areas.

They grow very quickly, with an annual growth rate of one meter. Often planted in forest park zones, in public gardens they are cultivated as single plants or as part of group plantings.

Balsam poplar P. balsamifera occurs naturally in North America, where it grows on the alluvial floodplains of the northeastern United States of America and Canada. In these conditions, it can reach up to 30 m in height. The bark is dry, yellowish-gray, black at the base. Young twigs are light to dark brown. The buds are covered with a sticky layer of balsam resin.

In the western part of North America, from Alaska to Northern California, black balsamic poplar grows - P. trichocarpa. This is one of the largest poplar species, its height can reach 60 m. The importance of this culture in botany is great - it is one of the most important in crop breeding. So, in 2006, it was black poplar that was listed as the first tree species, the entire genome of which was fully hybridized.

Poplar Simonov - P. simonii - naturally grows in the northwest of China. However, it is often planted in northern European cities as part of shade plantings. It is an ornamental plant with a whitish bark. Rhombic leaves, 6 cm long, appear on the tree in early spring.

Maximovich poplar (P. maximowiczii) and Ussuri poplar (P. ussuriensis) are also varieties of balsamic poplars. Natural habitat - Japan, Korea, northeastern China, as well as Eastern Siberia. Such trees have wider leaves. The laurel poplar from Mongolia, P. laurifolia, is visually similar to them. It is distinguished from its fellows by narrow leaves resembling laurel.

To date, there is no consensus on whether the Sichuan poplar belongs to - P. szechuanica - to balsamic subspecies. Some botanists classify it as aspen. Similar controversy continues around the Yunnan poplar P. yunnanensis.

Balsamic poplar is cultivated in garden areas and nature reserves from the Arctic Circle to the southern regions. The popularity of the plant is explained by its growth rate, decorative appearance and pleasant aroma in the spring. The plant is used in the green arrangement of urban areas: when creating alleys, casing busy streets and highways. However, only male specimens are suitable for this - women give the fluff well-known to all, which often causes allergies among the inhabitants of the metropolis.

Balsamic poplar is one of the leaders as a tree crop. The wood of these plants is soft, lightweight, but has a strong fiber. That is why the material has found wide application in the manufacture of pallets, boxes and other packaging containers, as well as matches.

Some balsamic poplar hybrids were created specifically for sawn timber.

Currently, active development is underway related to the possibility of using balsamic poplar as biofuel. Modern breeders are trying to use methods of genetic influence on the plant organism, so that such poplars become thicker and have smaller shelves - this will allow more trees to grow in a small space. Another challenge for scientists is to optimize the ratio of cellulose and lignin in favor of increasing it. This will make it much easier to process wood into ethanol and sugar, which in turn will make the material more productive when used as a natural fuel.