White Poplar Trees

• Common names: White Poplar, Abele
• Latin name: Populus alba
• Native: No. Long naturalised in Britain
• Sold as: Bareroot trees, 200/250cm tall, and standards of 6/8 and 8/10cm girth
• Mature size: More than 12m tall and more than 8m wide
• Time to full size: 20+ years
• Leaves: Lobed, dark green above, white and downy beneath. Yellow in autumn
• Use: Windbreaks, shelter belts and specimen planting. Takes chalk and coastal wind
• Roots: Vigorous and suckering. Plant at least 40m from buildings and drains
• Position: Full sun, exposed or sheltered
• Soil: Any, chalk included, unless constantly waterlogged
• Hardiness: H6, hardy through the British winter
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Collection from Castle Cary also available

White Poplar is a fast, spreading tree with a broad crown and two-tone leaves, dark green on top and white and downy beneath, that flash in the wind. It takes chalk, exposure and sea wind, and it suckers freely, so it is a tree for shelter belts and open ground, planted at least 40 metres from buildings.

White Poplar Trees

The White Poplar tree, is the only poplar we grow that will do well on chalky soil. Its great feature is its two-tone leaves, which are glossy green on top and felted with fuzzy white 'hairs' on the underside. When the wind is rippling through them, they remind one of a shoal of fish, catching the sun and going dark as they turn one way and the next.
The mostly white bark is easy to identify, with its darker diamond shaped markings, although the old trees lose the white layer and become deeply ridged, providing shelter for various insects. Older trees sucker freely, making even more homes for small animals.
Male trees have red catkins, and females have pale green catkins.

This isn't a tree for a small garden: it's medium-sized, but its roots are real bullies and will make life hard for plants near them. It's a fantastic shelter belt tree.
They reach a height of about 20 metres in the UK; in warmer countries, some trees are closer to 40 metres.

Browse our large garden trees, or all of our trees.

Delivery season: Poplar trees are delivered bareroot from late autumn to early spring, November to April.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

Growing White Poplar

Hardy, wind resistant, and suitable for the coast, the only thing it needs is plenty of sun. It loves a moist to wet soil beside water, but it'll grow almost anywhere.

If you prune your trees, they'll respond by suckering

Please note: The roots attack old drains and foundations (new build concrete is in no danger), so we advise a safe planting distance of 40 metres from buildings and vulnerable structures.

History & Trivia

Naturalised across Britain for centuries, though its true native range is from warmer parts of Europe to Central Asia. They were created by Hades from the remains of the nymph Leuce.

Other common names: Abbey, abele, Dutch beech, white asp / aspen.

Standard trees are measured by their girth in centimetres 1 metre above ground level: their trunk's waist measurement. Unlike sapling trees and hedge plants, standards aren't measured by their height, which will vary quite a bit both between and within species.
So, a 6/8cm standard tree has a trunk with a circumference of 6-8cm and an 8/10 standard has a trunk 8-10cm around. This measurement makes no difference to the tree's final height.
On average, standard trees are 2-3.5 metres tall when they arrive, but we cannot tell you precisely how tall your trees will be before we deliver them.

Planting Companions

White Poplar's companion is Quaking Aspen, the native Poplar: White Poplar for chalk and the coast, Aspen for wildlife. Both are broad-crowned trees that sucker. For a narrow screen, Lombardy Poplar is the upright one. See also our catkin trees and Willows. Dust the roots with Rootgrow as you plant.

Why Ashridge for Big Trees?

Ashridge has sold trees since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your White Poplar comes as a bareroot tree, lifted to order while dormant and guaranteed for 12 months. Plant it between November and April, and it will establish readily.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far from a house should you plant a White Poplar?

At least 40 metres. The vigorous roots may damage drains and foundations, particularly on clay soils.

How big does it grow?

It grows more than 12 metres tall and more than 8 metres wide, in 20 to 50 years. Our own page has long said about 20 metres in the UK.

Will it grow on chalk?

Yes. Chalk is among its soils, and it is the only Poplar we grow that does well on it. It takes any soil that is not constantly waterlogged.

Does White Poplar sucker?

Yes, freely. Remove suckers in autumn or winter. If the tree itself needs pruning, do it in late summer, to avoid bleeding from the cuts.

Is it good for a windbreak by the sea?

Yes. It is good for windbreaks, it stands exposure, and our old page has long sold it for coastal shelter belts.

Why are the leaves white underneath?

They are covered in white down. The young shoots and leaves are completely white and hairy, which is where the old name Abele and the silver look come from.

When are the trees delivered?

Bareroot only, from November to April, while the trees are dormant. You can order at any time of year and your tree is lifted and sent once the season opens.