Populus alba

Populus alba (03/07/2013, Walworth, London)

Position: Full sun to light shade

Soil: Moist well drained

Flowering period: Spring

Eventual Height: 25m

Eventual Spread: 16m

Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a

Family: Salicaceae

Populus alba is a fast growing deciduous tree with a rounded habit. Its dark green glossy leaves are five lobed with sinuate margins, up to 15cm long, 10cm broad and with a downy white covering on the underside. Its leaves turn yellow in autumn before they fall. Its white to grey white bark is smooth with diamond shaped marks when young becoming more fissured with age. Its trunk may achieve a diameter of up to 2m. Its flowers are dioecious wind pollinated and appear before its leaves.  Its male catkins are up to 8cm long and the female are up to 10cm long. Its fruit are green capsules which contain small seeds that have fine hairs which aids their wind dispersal. Its roots may sucker, particularly if damaged.

Populus alba Leaf (03/07/2013, Walworth, London)

Populus alba, commonly known Silver Poplar, White Poplar or Abele, is native to south Europe, central Europe and central Asia. In its native habitat it grows on wet sites, often close to water courses. Due to its suckering roots, this tree may spread given the right conditions and may be invasive. It is considered invasive in many parts of Australia and South Africa.

The etymological root of the binomial name Populus is derived from its ancient Latin name, arbor-populi meaning ‘tree of the people’. Alba is from the Latin meaning ‘white’.

Populus alba Bark (03/07/2013, Walworth, London)

The landscape architect may find Populus alba useful as a fast growing tree with attractive leaves suitable for planting in wet locations. Care should  taken when locating this tree as its root may damage drainage systems and foundations. Planting in grass may cause this tree to sucker by damaging shallow roots when mowing.  This tree is tolerant of maritime conditions.

Ecologically, Populus alba leaves are attractive to many insects.

Populus alba prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It will tolerate wet soils.

Populus alba requires little maintenance. Suckers of suckering trees may need to be removed annually.



Landscape Architecture

Salix elaeagnos

Salix elaeagnos (18/10/2014, Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid)

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Flowering period: Late spring to early summer

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 4m

Eventual Spread: 5m

Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a

Family: Salicaceae

Salix elaeagnos is a deciduous shrub with a dense upright habit. It grey/ green leaves are  lanceolate with entire margins, up to 20cm long and 5mm broad. In autumn its leaves become yellow before they fall. This shrub is mostly dioecious and its flowers are slender, green catkins which are up to 6cm long and appear with the new leaves. The male catkins will have yellow anthers.

Salix elaeagnos, commonly known as Olive Willow, Rosemary Willow or Hoary Willow, is native to central and southern Europe. Salix elaeagnos is synonyms with Salix rosmarinifolia. This shrub has become naturalised in the UK.

The etymological root of the binomial name Salix is from the old Latin name for the willow tree and is possibly derived from the old Celtic sal meaning near and lis meaning water. Elaeagnos is derived from the Greek elaia meaning ’olive’ and agnos meaning ‘pure’, possibly referring to the fruit.

The landscape architect may find Salix elaeagnos useful as a low maintenance shrub. It may be used to stabilise banks or a a hedging species. Once established this shrub is drought tolerant.

Salix elaeagnos Leaf (18/10/2014, Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid)

Ecologically, Salix elaeagnos flowers are attractive to pollinating insects. Some species of Lepidoptera will consume the foliage in their larval form.

Salix elaeagnos prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.

Salix elaeagnos requires little to no maintenance. To keep a tidy apearance this shrub may be heavy pruned during the dormant season.

Azara serrata

Azara serrata (19/04/2014, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to light shade

Flowering period: Spring

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 5m

Eventual Spread: 4m

Hardiness: 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b

Family: Salicaceae

Azara serrata is an evergreen shrub/ small tree with bushy habit. Its dark green glossy leaves are ovate with serrate margins, up to 6cm long and 2cm broad. Its fragrant yellow hermaphrodite flowers appear in clusters and are up to 2cm across. Its white fruit is a berry and up to 6mm across.

Azara serrata Flower (19/04/2014, Kew Gardens, London)

Azara serrata, commonly known as the Saw Toothed Azara, is native to Argentina and Chile. In its native habitat it grows in marshes bogs, river, lake banks and will tolerate dry periods.

The etymological root of the binomial name Azara is named after Félix de Azara (1746 – 1821), a Spanish geographer. Serrata is derived from the Latin serratus meaning ‘saw’, in reference to the leaf margins of this shrub.

The landscape architect may find Azara serrata useful as a medium sized, evergreen spring flowering shrub with interesting berries, suitable for wet soils.

Azara serrata Leaf (19/04/2014, Kew Gardens, London)

Ecologically, Azara serrata flowers are attractive to nectar loving insects.

The Royal Horticultural Society has given Azara serrata their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 2002.

Azara serrata prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It will tolerate most pH of soil.

Azara serrata requires little maintenance.