The Dee Valley Black Poplar Project
For some years I've had an interest in black poplar trees. They are Britain's rarest timber tree and today, there are literally only some thousands of them left. A network of enthusiasts have tried to reverse the plight of this species and though thousands of new trees have been planted, it is still a tiny number of the population which once was.
For several years now I too have grown black poplars from cuttings and I've donated these to enthusiastic landowners to help repopulate the River Dee valley in North Wales. This vid introduces viewers to this project and demonstrates how easy it is to cultivate new trees from cuttings.
Though black poplars will grow almost anywhere, their usual habitat is wet places and stream and river flood plains. Such terrain is usually prime grazing land and female trees especially were targeted by farmers who saw valuable lush grass being killed by layers of seed fluff caking the ground. Thus, female trees were felled.
The species also has exacting germination requirements so where viable seed did fall, any resulting shoots were soon eaten by livestock. Based on current knowledge, almost no black poplars have grown naturally from seed in Britain in the last 150 years. I know of only one location myself. Almost all new stock has come from cuttings or rooted pieces of broken branches fallen from neighbouring trees.
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Yes, there was a chap doing a project in east Carmarthenshire in the 1990's like yourself, Have you ever seen any seed on them? I think I have read that they are an ancient introduction like some of the elm clones, Bronze age possibly and spread along rivers and muddy flood plains by vegetative reproduction and then obviously got completely decimated in the last 150 years. They are more typical of Europe further south and east with warmer summers and there are several varieties (e.g. the north Italian one), and including one with snow white bark which you wouldnt think was a black poplar!
@StonecatWales
4 ай бұрын
Female trees seed most years and much is fertile but according to the 'experts', there's only one known location in Britain where seedlings have been known to germinate. I actually visited the site in the south Wirral and saw a couple growing in the mud; they have exacting conditions to germinate which means population increase from seed is almost impossible in Britain in the wild. Naturally black poplars would spread via a combination of broken off branches and seed. The British black poplars are a sub-species of the continental ones and this 'betulifolia' is found only here and in parts of the Low Countries in Europe. The well known Lombardy poplars are black poplars bred as 'italica' since at least the 1700s. When I'm long gone and someone looks at black poplars as adult trees in the Dee Valley say 100 years from now, it will be pretty certain they will be one of mine :)
@macrolithic
4 ай бұрын
Is it like a fluff with very small seeds in it? In Italy, the arrival of that fluff or down blowing on the wind is seen to signify the arrival of spring. Yoy need to get the seed under a decent lense to see if it looks like there a content in the seed coat. @@StonecatWales
Hi there. This video was a good find and saved a few of your other ones to watch. I heard they grow best on flood plains but have a heard of a few on sandy soils inland on the Wirral. I hope to visit them this summer. Have you seen big ones in drier soils? I tried to find some others a few years ago but failed. Fingers crossed this time
@StonecatWales
4 ай бұрын
Hi.............. Thanks for yourr comment and question................ Traditionally and normally, they do indeed grow on flood plains and along streams and rivers elsewhere than on flood plains. They will also grow away from obvious water and even quite high in altitude........................ They do need to be near some water supply so long as it is enough to feed the tree daily. They consume a huge amount of water each day and it is seemingly true that they should never be planted on clay soils near dwellings as they can draw so much water, the clay dries out and shinks causing subsidence............................... In the wetter west of Britain, they will grow at those higher altitudes. I see no reason why they wron't grow on sandy soils. It will depend on how deep is the water table. If the moisture is there year round, they should grow well tbh............................... At Formby, there is a consideable number of genuine black poplars growing in the sand dunes thiugh most ae not huge at all. At first glance the terrain would appear arid, but some feet down below the dunes, the soil is damp as it is below the high water mark of the shore, so water penetrates quite a way inland which by then is free of salt............................ www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/mystery-hidden-grove-rare-trees-26189069 ............................ Hope this proves of some use to you? ............................. I'd write to Wirral council as a FOI request and ask them for any info' on the location of black poplars in the borough. Most local authorities in Britain have BP data bases........................ Cheers :)
@dane2487
4 ай бұрын
Thanks that is very interesting and sounds logical@@StonecatWales
@jordanadam4693
4 ай бұрын
I've planted 40 of these on and around my allotment site. Males and female plants. Barnsley area. Hopefully they will grow ! 🙏
@StonecatWales
4 ай бұрын
Good work. The more the merrier. I find they are quite easy to grow and even if only half survived, it's still a huge plus.