The soft, light way in which poplars sway in the wind enriches our local landscape with a simple grace. This is partly due to their very flexible, small leaves. Here is a short portrait.

The leaves of the white poplar resemble the maple

Characteristic: The triangular shape

Although the 22 to 89 species of the Populus genus show quite different leaf shapes, their greatest common denominator is a certain triangular or heart shape. There are also rounder leaf shapes. What they all have in common, however, is a rather delicate leaf structure and long stems, sometimes flattened at the bottom, which contributes to the typical lively, filigree crown appearance. However, the cellulose-rich, flexible wood of the poplar is not uninvolved. The usually rather light green of the foliage underlines the soft character of the poplars.

So we can first state:

  • Typical poplar leaf shape is triangular
  • Long stalked
  • Delicate leaf structure
  • As a result, a very moving crown image

Leaf shape variability on the same tree

You may have noticed that different leaf shapes can be attached to the same individual. A genetic error? No, this phenomenon is completely normal and is related to the place of attachment or the time of the respective leaf formation. In many species, the leaves that appear on the long shoots early in winter develop a different shape than the leaves that grow on the short shoots later in the summer. After all, they have very different basic requirements. Different foliage structures can also be seen on long and short shoots in other trees, such as larch.

In the case of the aspen, for example, the winter leaves are almost round and lobed at the edges. Their summer leaves, on the other hand, are triangular and almost entire.

autumn coloring

All poplars are deciduous trees and shed their leaves in winter. Before that, it usually changes color to golden yellow to light brown or even reddish tones, resulting in a decoratively mottled carpet of leaves on the ground.

Leaf shapes of individual Populus species

You can recognize the poplar species that are most common in Central Europe by the following leaf shapes:

aspen

The aspen or aspen is characterized by almost round, lobed edges and very long-stalked leaves, which are known to move and “tremble” at the slightest breeze. The leaves reproduced in summer have a triangular shape with entire margins. The autumn color is a beautiful, pure golden yellow.

silver poplar

The white poplar fascinates with its particularly varied leaf shapes: the early leaves that develop on the long shoots have an almost maple-like indented shape and are white felty hairy underneath. The late short shoot leaves, on the other hand, are more ovate, have wavy edges and are only slightly hairy on the underside.

balsam poplar

The leaves of this black-barked species are more elongated than those of most members of the species - ovate to almost lanceolate and with a long tip. Their surface is smooth and comparatively dark green, the underside is whitish and has downy hairs. The edges are very finely serrated.

black poplar

You can recognize the long shoot leaves of the black poplar by their rhombic appearance, the short shoot leaves by their more egg-shaped appearance.

Category:

Trees