Poplar – amazing tree

Poplars are fast-growing trees. Aspens and cottonwoods are types of poplar. Poplars are closely related to willows and grow in many parts of North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The center of origin of poplars is in China, in a subtropical climate.
Flowers develop pods filled with tiny seeds. These pods will open and the fluffy seeds will float to the ground. Leaves are oval, heart-shaped, or round.
Wood is used to make furniture, particle board, paper, match straw, dugout boats, artificial silk, packing material, container cardboard, building materials for building houses, essential oils, and tannins. People make violet paint from poplar buds and yellow from its leaves.

There are four main groups:
• White poplars: the leaves are white below, and the new shoots are also white. It is rarely taller than 25m.
• Balsam poplars: the winter buds and young leaves are aromatic, the bud scales are sticky. The Western balsam poplar is one of North America’s tallest trees. Balsam poplars sanitize and purify the air of dust and harmful substances better than all other trees. One poplar releases the amount of oxygen as much as ten birches, seven firs, four pines or three limes. The tree adsorbs about 30 kg of dust and soot from the air during one year.

• Black poplars: a large group, including many hybrids and special clones.
• Aspens: have roundish leaves with long lateral stalks.
People like poplars for their beauty and the shade they provide. Poplars are the fastest growing trees. They grow 2-4 meters per year.
Important documents were signed under the high, gloomy old poplars.
In the era of revolutions, poplar was a symbol of the people’s struggle for freedom and rights.
In Chinese traditions, the tree means the unity of opposites – yin and yang. Due to their colors, poplar’s leaves personified black and white, the beginning and the end.
For a long time it was believed that Poplar can absorb negative energy and protect the house from evil spirits.

On average, poplars live 60 – 80 years (can live up to 120 – 150 years, if not affected by fungal diseases).
The bark of Poplar contains tannins, glycosides and alkaloids. Thanks to this, the broth from the bark has a sedative effect and soothes the nervous system. There are drugs based on Poplar, able to cope with the depressed state and normalize sleep. The Poplar buds, ground into powder and mixed with other ingredients, are used for hair loss.

Poplar – amazing tree