Simon's poplar or Chinese poplar

Appearance: ornamental tree up to 12-15 m tall, 6-10 m wide, with an elegant, oval, slightly drooping crown; trunk slender, smooth; growth rate initially 60-80 cm, later 30-50 cm per year.

Flowers: inconspicuous, as are the fruits.

Leaves: emerge very early (March), small, rhombic or ovate, with a cuneate base and pointed apex, dark green with prominent red veins, glaucous-white beneath, in autumn turning yellow.

Root system: shallow.

Requirements: sun; in shade it grows crookedly; tolerates high temperatures; prefers warmth; winter-hardy; loses wind resistance with age.

Soils: fresh or moist; avoid stagnant waterlogging; prefers calcareous (lime-rich) soils; grows poorly and dies quickly on dry soils.

Zone: 4