White Poplar, Large Trees

Populus alba: Bareroot White / Silver Poplar Trees in Standard Sizes

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 is not a tree for a small garden: it is medium-sized, but its roots are real bullies and will make life hard for plants near them. It is 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 during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they are 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 is 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).

Features:

• Height: To 25m
• Soil: Ideally moist, but any will do. Needs plenty of sun
• Not suitable for small gardens
• Good for coastal shelter belts
• Bareroot delivery only: November-March

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 will grow almost anywhere.

If you prune your trees, they will 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 20 metres from vulnerable structures.