Plant Details

Populus nigra

Black Poplar, Lombardy poplar

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Common names

42 names · 35 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Black Poplar[1]
  • Lombardy poplar[1]
Other languages (34)
Dutch
  • Zwarte populier[1]
French
  • Peuplier noir[1]
Afrikaans
  • swartpopulier[1]
Arabic
  • حور أسود[1]
Basque
  • Makal beltza[1]
Belarusian
  • Таполя чорная[1]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • topol černý[1]
Danish
  • Sortpoppel[1]
Estonian
  • must pappel[1]
Finnish
  • mustapoppeli[1]
German
  • Saarbaum[1]
  • Schwarz-Pappel[1]
  • Schwarzpappel[1]
Hebrew
  • צפצפה שחורה[1]
Hungarian
  • Fekete nyár[1]
Italian
  • Pioppo nero[1]
Japanese
  • ヨーロッパクロヤマナラシ[1]
Kurdish
  • سپیندار[1]
Latvian
Lithuanian
  • Juodoji tuopa[1]
Luxembourgish
  • Schwaarz Pëppel[1]
Norwegian
  • svartpoppel[1]
Polish
  • Topola czarna[1]
Portuguese
  • Choupo-negro[1]
Romanian
  • Plop negru[1]
Russian
  • Осокорь[1]
  • Тополь чёрный[1]
Slovak
  • topoľ čierny[1]
Slovenian
  • črni topol[1]
Spanish
Swedish
  • svartpoppel[1]
Turkish
  • kara kavak[1]
Ukrainian
  • Осокір[1]
  • Тополя чорна[1]
West Frisian
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Populus nigra — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Black Poplar — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Choupo-negro — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Álamo negro — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Pioppo nero — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Peuplier noir — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Schwarz-Pappel — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • topol černý — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • 黑楊 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Schwarzpappel — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Zwarte populier — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Тополь чёрный — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • svartpoppel — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • mustapoppeli — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Topola czarna — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Juodoji tuopa — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • ヨーロッパクロヤマナラシ — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Saarbaum — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • svartpoppel — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • must pappel — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • 黑杨 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Pollancre — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Sortpoppel — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • kara kavak — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Lombardy Poplar — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Makal beltza — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Schwaarz Pëppel — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Таполя чорная — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Тополя чорна — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Chopo — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • črni topol — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Fekete nyár — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • topoľ čierny — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • צפצפה שחורה — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • حور أسود — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Осокір — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Plop negru — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Popelier — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Meln — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Осокорь — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • swartpopulier — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • Melnā apse — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.
  • سپیندار — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 47565; Populus nigra.

General information

Scientific name: Populus nigra
Accepted name (Kew): Populus nigra L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Salicaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Populus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Black Poplar, Lombardy poplar
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 12.19–21.34 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Spread: 3.05–3.66 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [2]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [2]
Growth habit: Columnar, Erect, Rounded

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [2]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [2]
Soil moisture:
Frequent Standing Water

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [2]
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun
Sources [2]

Uses

Edible parts:
-
Edibility rating:
(0)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
Pioneer species, Windbreak, Wood

Description

The inner bark is dried, ground, and then added to flour to make bread and similar products. It is used as food during times of famine when all other options have been exhausted.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 31/03

Crown

Crown shape: Narrow pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1426848; name ID 2917745; Populus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1426172; name ID 2917497; Populus nigra L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Populus nigra — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .