Populus alba

White poplar, White Poplar

Family: Salicaceae · Type: tree · Not Native

White poplar is a naturalized tree found in the Klamath Ranges, California Ranges, Great Basin, and other areas near human settlements at elevations of 600 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from April to June, this tree produces small catkins in distinctive white-tomentose branches. Growing up to 20 meters tall with a wide, spreading crown, the tree has striking white-woolly twigs and winter buds. Its leaves are 3 to 9 centimeters long, with 3 to 5 lobes, blue-green and glossy on top, and white-woolly underneath, featuring a truncate to slightly heart-shaped base. The distinctively white-covered foliage makes this tree easily recognizable in disturbed landscapes near human habitation.

Habitat: Disturbed places near settlements

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 600-1800 m

Bioregions: KR, CaR, GB, expected elsewhere

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.