Populus nigra
Black poplar (Populus nigra)
The black poplar (Populus nigra ), also called Saar tree, is a deciduous tree species in the genus of the poplars in the family of the willow family ( Salicaceae ).
Dissemination
The black poplar grows as a river guide in the temperate areas of major parts of Europe with the exception of Scandinavia, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Russia. It is native to larger stocks of the major European rivers Loire, Rhône, Po, Danube, Elbe, Rhine and Vistula. The species Populus nigra has become very rare. Commonly you confused often with the hybrids Populus × canadensis ( see below).
Habitat requirements
The Black poplar makes high demands on light and heat. Your sites need to be very good nutrients and good water supplies beyond. They settled preferably gravel and sandy soils that are well aerated. With appropriate conditions growth of one meter per year are not uncommon. Short periodic floods are not a problem for the prosperity; they even encourage their competitive ability against the tree species of hardwood floodplain such as the oaks, elms and ash trees. During long-lasting flooding the black poplar, however, compared with the species of willow (Salix spp.) Is the softwood significantly disadvantaged in their vigor. Areas of standing water are not populated. This is the typical habitat of the alders. Black poplars are insensitive to changes Scot and Übersandungen because they can form new roots on the trunk to old age. Mechanical injury from larger floating debris or by drift heal quickly.
Features
Older specimens of black poplars are powerful, gnarled growth. In Germany, copies are known with a trunk diameter of over two meters. The trees can grow up to 30 meters high under favorable site conditions. The tribe has a gray -brown bark with coarse, x -shaped structure, which is very peculiar by transverse Korkwülste. The formation of water veins and burls often leads to bizarre parent forms. The crowns are constructed irregular and unloading. Your fine veins are directed upwards and remember Reiser broom.
Black poplars are 100 to 150 years old; in rare cases they can reach an age of 300 years. Young twigs or shoots have a round cross section and no Korkrippen ( unlike hybrid poplars, see below ). The leaves of long and short shoots of the same tree differ considerably Like all poplars. Leaves on short shoots have a rhombic to rhombic- ovate Langtrieben a form. The first side pair of leaf veins branches directly at the transition between petiole and leaf blade of the main vein ( Wolterson effect). Species determinations of leaf characteristics, may be conducted only in nurseries at vegetative descendants of the old trees to be examined with the so-called standard sheets.
It is getrenntgeschlechtige ( dioecious ) plants; so there are male and female trees. The flowers appear, standing on many of the so-called kitten, before the expulsion of the sheet. The male catkins are up to twelve inches long and hang limply. You have twelve to thirty stamens, whose anthers are initially purple. The female catkins are stretched to maturity. Clearly visible is the ovary with two yellow scars.
Of the buds a sweet smell comes from. It is .. a sticky resin ( cutin ), which bees collect in order to produce propolis
System
External system
The black poplar is placed in the Aigeiros section within the genus Populus. This arrangement is secured by morphological characteristics such as through analysis of DNA from the cell nuclei. In analyzes of chloroplast DNA type is however made section Populus. One possible and likely explanation for this is that the black poplar was created by a hybridization, the Mutterart from the section Populus and Vaterart from the section Aigeiros came. Since Aigeiros species found only in North America, the Black poplar in Europe, however, the separation of the two continents in the Miocene is considered as the latest date for the origin.
Inside systematics
Within the species, two, sometimes three different subspecies:
- The True Black poplar (Populus nigra ssp. Nigra) is native to central and southern Europe and represents the nominate dar. to distribution area includes more Southwest Asia, if not as a third subspecies of Populus nigra ssp. afghanica is distinguished. Are characteristic of the bare ( hairless ) summer leaves. The thick, deeply fissured bark with the characteristic horizontal Korkwülsten other hand, have all subspecies.
- The Birkenblättrige black poplar, Populus nigra ssp. betulifolia ( Pursh ) W. Wettst. , is located in northwestern Europe. The leaves and young shoots are stronger (but obsolete ) hairy.
Since the 17th century in Europe are also Canadian black poplars (Populus deltoides ) and especially bastard black poplars (Populus × canadensis), which have emerged from crosses of American with the native black poplar, planted. The cultivation of these hybrids, which are used by about 14 different varieties ( cv ), done up to the present time for economic reasons. The bulk power is considerably greater and the quality of the parent timber is cheaper by the straight growth as the rights of indigenous black poplar. Hybrid poplars usually have a uniform längsgefurchte bark without horizontal Korkwülste. Even their young shoots have - in contrast to black poplars - Korkrippen on. A distinction according to the outward appearance is sometimes difficult but possible. Using modern genetic methods black poplars and their hybrids can be clearly identified. Bastard Black poplars have the autochthonous nominate displaced almost everywhere.
Cultivated forms
- ' Italica ': This is the familiar pyramid poplar or "Italian poplar ," which is often planted in Central Europe. This always male form, the trunk branches in contrast to nominate shortly above the ground and the branches grow vertically upwards so that they have a narrow, sometimes columnar habit has. The origin of this variety is suspected in Turkestan or Persia.
- ' Italica Femina ': This always breeding female form is often called Lombardy poplar, for further details see there.
- ' Plantierensis ': This form was created in 1855 in Metz. She has a similar habit as the Lombardy poplar ' Italica ', differs from this, however, by hairy petioles and branches that verkahlen over the summer.
Cohabitation Black poplar
On the black poplar, eight local revelers, including the poplar hawkmoth develop. The trees are also often inhabited by gall -forming insects; the Spiralgallenlaus is the most common place Lausart. Your attack causes a spiral rotation and thickening of the petiole.
Stock situation
In Germany, the original wild form of Black Poplar in the Red List of ferns and flowering plants is classified nationwide as "endangered". The two main causes are:
- Destruction of the natural habitat and thus destruction of the natural regeneration area.
- Possible introgression with the hybrid poplar (Populus × canadensis ), which is widely cultivated in plantations.
In Germany, the black poplar tree was elected in 2006. This is on the one hand be made aware of the rarity of genetically remaining authentic copies - there are nationwide only a few thousand of these trees suspected - on the other hand also to the threat to habitats in floodplains.
Around 500 individuals were counted for 2006 in North Rhine -Westphalia. Of these, only 103 were located in the Lower Rhine in the Wesel district. The Lower Rhine is counted to the original distribution area of the black poplar. In Westphalia, the occurrence of the Real Black poplar in particular Hellweg territory, are mostly to be found in the city of Dortmund, Unna district and in the district of Soest.
Impressive examples can be found, for example, also at Schkeuditzer Cross, west of the highway near Leipzig. But even here there are only a few trees. Your unbelaubter habit is more reminiscent of an oak tree as a poplar. A very old copy is the Babisnauer poplar at Babisnau, near Dresden. More impressive black poplars around the age of 170 years can be found in an alley in Bliestorf, Schleswig -Holstein, south of Lübeck.
Others
As early as the second century, the Greek physician Galen recommended an ointment from the buds of the black poplar against inflammation. Such ointments can still find use as an analgesic balm.
The smooth wood of the black poplar is considered the most valuable among domestic poplar and is very popular with carvers sculptures. However, poplar is currently on the market the cheapest wood at all.
The black poplar tree was the year in 2006.