Laurel-leaved poplar

Family Salicaceae. Grows on well-moistened, stony slopes throughout almost all of Siberia, extending east to the Angara.

A tall tree, up to 20 m high, with a pyramidal, sparsely branched crown, dark gray, deeply fissured bark and yellowish, downy shoots with longitudinal, wing-like, corky ridges by which this species differs from others. Leaves are narrowly ovate, almost lanceolate, resembling laurel leaves, dark green, glossy, whitish beneath, 12 x 5 cm. Due to the abundance of shortened shoots on the branches of the crown, the leaves appear to be arranged in clusters.

Grows more slowly than other poplars. Resistant to smoke and gases. Notable for high winter hardiness and undemandingness to soil. Propagated by seeds and cuttings. In the south it suffers from drought and drops its leaves early.

Has a decorative form - Lindley (f. Lindleyana) - differing from the typical by its narrower leaves with a wavy margin; on long shoots the leaves are lanceolate, on shortened ones - narrowly elliptic.

based on materials from the website www.ultradrome.narod.ru