Himalayan Poplar
Populus ciliata
Family: Salicaceae
What it is like
Populus ciliata is a deciduous Tree growing to 20 m (65ft 7in) at a fast rate.The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 20
Where it is found
Mixed forests with oak, deodar and pine, 1200 - 3000 metres. Secondary forests and by streams, usually on light soils.
E. Asia - W. Himalayas - Kashmir to Bhutan and Western China.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 2
The bark is a blood purifier and tonic stimulant. A paste of the bark, mixed with the ash of cow dung, is used as a poultice to treat muscular swellings. Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, the bark of most, if not all members of the genus contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Other
Rating: 2
An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day. Wood - soft, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion. Used for planking, matches, water troughs etc. Used for timber for construction and making furniture.
Rooting hormone: Substances that can be used to promote the production of roots in plant cuttings.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
How it is grown
An easily grown plant, it does well in a heavy cold damp soil. Prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils. It does not do well in exposed upland sites. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition. A fairly fast growing species, especially when it is young. Poplars have very extensive and aggressive root systems that can invade and damage drainage systems. Especially when grown on clay soils, they should not be planted within 12 metres of buildings since the root system can damage the building's foundations by drying out the soil. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Male trees are very scarce. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus.
Propagating it: Seed - must be sown as soon as it is ripe in spring. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening. Surface sow or just lightly cover the seed in trays in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the old frame. If sufficient growth is made, it might be possible to plant them out in late summer into their permanent positions, otherwise keep them in the cold frame until the following late spring and then plant them out. Most poplar species hybridize freely with each other, so the seed may not come true unless it is collected from the wild in areas with no other poplar species growing. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 20 - 40cm long, November/December in a sheltered outdoor bed or direct into their permanent positions. Very easy. Suckers in early spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist