| General Description | A large, fast growing deciduous tree. Very distinct, so white it looks as if it’s covered in snow. Interesting bark and leaves. |
| ID Characteristic | Leaves are wooly and white underneath. Twigs and buds wooly as well. Mature bark is white with black horizontal lenticels. Mature base is brown/grey and deeply furrowed. Irregular in crown shape. Often with a leaning trunk. |
| Shape | Very irregular rounded crown |
| Propagation | Cuttings can be successful, especially during the summer. Seeds will germinate immediately. Self propagation through root suckers. |
| Cultivation | Very easy to grow, very adaptable to different pH's, pollution and salt. Needs full sun, and prefers moist loam. Recovers well from injury. |
| Pests | Aphids, poplar borer, scales, poplar canker, hypoxylon canker, septoria canker, red-humped caterpillar, branch gall, leaf spots, leaf rusts, powdery mildew, bronze birch borer, fusarium canker, cytospora canker, leaf blister, poplar tent maker. |
| Notable Specimens | Clark Road Secondary School, London Ontario. |
| Habitat | Temperate northern hemisphere. Very adaptable, but typically found in a sunny disposition. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Mature bark is white with black horizontal lenticels, with a brown or grayish deeply furrowed base. Young bark is gray, rich brown or green. Twigs are covered in white wool. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Conical to ovate, overlapping, and pressed close to the stem. Light brown with wooly white covering. 5-6 mm in length. |
| Leaf Description | Two different shapes. Both are simple, alternate, 5-12 cm long, coarsely toothed, and dark green. Underside is white to grey and covered in a thick wool. Most common leaf is palmate with 3-5 lobes. Other is more elliptic-oblong to ovate. |
| Flower Description | Diocious, clusters of catkins. Female catkins are 8-10 cm in length. Male catkins are 5-8 cm long, with 5-10 stamens per flower, with purple anthers. |
| Fruit Description | Cotton like seed. Capsules are oval, green and dehiscent, with two valves. 5-7.5 mm long. |
| Colour Description | White or silver. No autumn colour. Observed leaves turning black on upper side in London, Ontario, during the autumn. |
| Texture Description | Coarse in dormancy, medium to coarse during the growing season. |
