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    Populus alba, White or silver poplar

    Populus alba is a species of deciduous broadleaf flowering plants (in the Salicaceae or Willow family), native to mainland Europe, Central Asia and parts of North Africa, and naturalised in Britain. It is a fast-growing tree which can attain 20 metres. The leaves are roundish with blunt teeth, dark green on top, but their undersides are bright white and silvery with a felt-like feel. The bark is smooth and grey-white when young, with characteristic diamond-shaped marks (like Populus tremula), and becomes darker and fissured as the tree grows older.

    Populus alba can spread by means of root suckers growing from the lateral roots, often as far as 20–30 metres from the trunk, to form dense thickets. It prefers moist ground and is often found near rivers, flood plains and moist areas.

    In Greek mythology the white poplar symbolised eternal life and renewal. Many early Italian Renaissance paintings, including the Mona Lisa, are painted on Populus alba wood panels.

    External webpages
    about this species     Wikipedia Kew Gardens Plants of the World Online Trees and Shrubs Online Woodland Trust

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