Populus nigra italica – Lombardy Poplar

Description

Populus nigra ‘Italica’ – Lombardy Poplar

Tall, Fast-Growing Screening Tree with Iconic Columnar Form

Botanical Name: Populus nigra ‘Italica’
Common Name: Lombardy Poplar
Origin: Europe and Western Asia

Description:
The Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) is a fast-growing, deciduous tree best known for its narrow, upright columnar shape. Reaching impressive heights quickly, it forms a bold vertical accent in the landscape and is ideal for windbreaks, screening, or creating a dramatic avenue effect. Its tall, architectural form makes it especially valuable in large-scale plantings where space efficiency is key.

The foliage is a rich green through spring and summer, consisting of diamond-shaped leaves that flutter attractively in the breeze. In autumn, the leaves turn a clear golden yellow before falling, leaving behind the distinctive vertical lines of bare branches and upright trunks, which still contribute to the winter landscape.

Specifications:

• Height at Maturity: 20 – 25 metres

• Width at Maturity: 3 – 5 metres

• Growth Rate: Very fast (up to 1.5–2 metres per year)

• Form: Strictly upright, columnar

• Foliage: Deciduous – green turning golden yellow in autumn

• Flowers: Inconspicuous catkins in spring (non-ornamental)

• Bark: Grey-brown, deeply ridged with age

Position & Uses:

• Sun Requirements: Full sun

• Soil Type: Well-drained to moderately heavy soils; tolerates poor or clay soils

• Water Requirements: Low once established; drought-tolerant

• Uses:

  • Windbreaks and shelterbelts

  • Tall privacy screens or boundary definition

  • Formal or rural avenue plantings

  • Landscape height contrast

Maintenance:

• Responds well to pruning and pollarding if shape control is required

• Avoid planting near underground services due to vigorous root systems

• Best suited to large properties, farms, or rural developments

Climate & Tolerance:

• Tolerates frost, wind, and heat

• Performs best in temperate and Mediterranean climates

• Not recommended for humid or tropical regions

Note: Due to its rapid growth and invasive roots, the Lombardy Poplar is best planted away from buildings, drains, and small garden spaces.

Create bold vertical accents and instant height with Populus nigra ‘Italica’ – Lombardy Poplar, available now at Blerick Tree Farm.