The black poplar, once found across the UK, has become increasingly rare. Tree enthusiasts across the country are working to restore its population by increasing its genetic resilience. The Barnes black poplar in London is widely considered to be one of the best of its kind in the country, and it was saved from being cut down in 2008 thanks to an arborist who organised opposition. A Forestry Commission genetic test has since shown that the Barnes black poplars are the most genetically diverse of a subspecies native to the UK.3
The UK had previously made widespread use of the black poplar, also known as the ‘ballerina poplar’, prized for its durability and fire resistance, but its waterlogged habitats had been drained, and it became less common in the 19th century due to the popularity of a faster-growing hybrid. This decrease in population has made the black poplar vulnerable to numerous threats, including disease. Furthermore, few seeds are available because landowners planting the species tended to favour male trees without the fluff produced by female flowers.
To increase diversity, new saplings would ideally be produced through seed rather than cutting, however, cross-pollination of black poplars is now very rare, and seeds are hard to come by. Consequently, tree enthusiasts are artificially reproducing black poplars. Kew’s domestic conservation partnerships coordinator, Ted Chapman, said black poplar seed was “kind of like hen’s teeth”.
Nevertheless, there are ways to conserve black poplar populations. The Royal Botanic Gardens’ black poplar stool bed has contributed thousands of cuttings for planting, while a passionate team of scientists at Forest Research have been artificially reproducing the species by strategically controlling pollination. By making the black poplar more resilient, these efforts will help increase population numbers while also contributing to its genetic diversity
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