White poplar

[Paul B]

Has anyone had any experiences with white poplars?
I am thinking maybe a group planting, taking some suckers this coming winter.
Any ideas or comments appreciated.

[GavinG]

I posted the same question a year or so ago - seems like it's just us.

From my limited experience they grow like weeds from cuttings, thicken quickly in the ground, and have most attractive foliage. Haven't found a problem, but haven't grown them in a bonsai pot yet...

This is what you can get after a year and a half in the ground, mainly neglected:

P1050593.jpg

And this is what you get growing out of the path a metre or so away...

P1050590.jpg

Go crazy!

Gavin

[Paul B]

Cheers Gavin,
From what I can gather, they tend to sucker very easily when their roots are disturbed, might make root pruning an ordeal , anyways, good to see someone else has given them a go. I will post pics and updates when I start.
Cheers

[Booga]

Gday Banksia I took a sucker around 18/12/2011, Totally Defoliated it.
It took about 4 weeks to show signs of growth and is now growing well.
I decided to chop the large root and re pot it.
Here is a pic today, 1 day after root prune and re pot

[Damian Bee]

If poplars are anything like like they are in the ground, my guess is that each time you root prune you will have a mini forest popping up which could be good? Have fun and experiment....

[Bretts]

I have considerd that they may make a good ginko style tree.

[Booga]

I thought about a poplar forest Damian
My Bonsai interest has just started so every thing I do is an experiment

[Booga]

I have considerd that they may make a good ginko style tree.

Had to Google Ginkgo style, never heard of it.
After looking at Ginkgo I think the Poplar would really suit that style

[bodhidharma]

Has anyone had any experiences with white poplars?

I have some i play with but they suffer dieback and replace the trunk with 2-3 suckers. This is why they are a weed. I will say though that i have had some for a few years i have never taken them seriously and maybe should do.

[Paul B]

Cheers guys for the feedback,
I figure what we dont kill makes us better enthusiasts
and I am all for pushing the boundaries and trying non typical bonsai species, if it dont work, thats what the mulcher is for

[GavinG]

We might be talking about two different trees here. Mine's the broadish heavily-suckering grey-trunked type near creeks with the fuzzy white underside to the leaf. Populus alba I think. Then there's the tall thin one with paler all-green leaves that would grow well in the gingko style. Judging from images of bonsai on the Net, we could call them Unpopulus. There was a suggestion that they don't live long, but what the hell, I'm 60.

Gavin

[Paul B]

Gavin,
I am also talking the same tree, found along creeks here as a weed, white undersides to the leaves.

[PaulC]

Hi banksiaman,

I tend to agree with the thought train of a ginko style approach with poplars.

You certainly have a few to collect in the canberra area, so why not give them a try ?

For those who are wondering what a `ginko` style is, it is usually a football shape.

I hope this pic might help explain it better ?

Regards,


Paul C

bonsai_ginkgo5.jpg

[Andrew E]

Gingko's are often styled in a 'flame' style due to their growing habit. The photo in the previous post is a good example of the shape attained by this shape. Poplars would suit this well. Nothing wrong with experimenting on cheap stock. Give em a go.
Good luck with em
Andrew

[AndrewC]

There's a farm near here with a few white poplars. One of them has a surface root which has suckered and been grazed by sheep repeatedly year after year. The surface is now all knobbly and knarly. I plan to dig it out in winter time and train it as a raft... let the experiments continue

-Andrew.