GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Experience With Hybrid Poplars -- Maryland

Leon Fisk · 23-08-2007, 08:36 PM posted to balt.general,rec.gardens,misc.rural

On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:49:24 GMT,
(Way Back Jack) wrote:

In the 70s, these trees were highly touted for their fast growth in
any soil. The approximate estimated life was 50 years, far longer
than the junky Lombardy poplar.

I personally planted 300-400, the best variety of which was the
Androscoggin poplar. Within 10 years, they were 50-80 ft, and the
Androscoggin had a wide crown and thick trunk to boot. Some autumns
they yielded a bright, buttery leaf. You could break off a stem,
stick it in the ground, and have a tree in no time. The only chore
with this cloning method of propagation was that you had to keep weeds
away for two years until they were established. If you planted one
that already had roots, no weeding was needed.

OK, that was the good news. If you decide to go with hybrid pops, be
aware that they eventually show thick protruding roots than can mess
up mower blades. Of course, that's the case with lots of trees. But
in 20-25 years, they come down. Sometimes the whole thing comes down
in storms. More often, the top 1/3 of the trunk simply breaks off.
It is dry and dead, while the rest of the tree is still filled with
sap. Strange .. and ugly. This was especially true with the
non-Androscoggin varieties.

Except for one humongous Androscoggin at the edge of the property, all
have either come down on their own or I had them taken down. Got
tired of cleaning up hybrid mess in the neighbor's field.

We have some that are ~25 years old that my Mom and Dad
planted. Only knew them as Hybrid Poplars. They zoomed
upward much as described. Now they are dying. They seem to
be quite susceptible to some sort of canker (you will see a
swollen spot that looks like there was once a branch there
and bark will be missing) that attacks the trunk. On our
trees this is usually 10 to 30 feet from the ground. It
creates a weak spot in the tree and they are prone to
snapping off at this point in high winds. If the wind don't
get them the portion above the canker dies and eventually
the whole tree follows suit. Then the wind will knock the
whole tree over. These are all out in the field so they pose
no danger other than crushing crabapples when they fall.

Any chance you have crabapple trees planted close by? Some
of the Hybrid Poplars were planted with crabs and some in
another area more by themselves. Those amongst the crabs
faired the worst. The other group has much less problem with
the cankers. Most likely just a coincidence...

It is interesting to hear that other people who planted
these are having a similar experience.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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