From February you can see the typical catkin blossoms on poplars, from which the fruits with the characteristic, woolly flying seeds develop later in the year. Interesting information about the flowers of the genus Populus can be found in the following article.
The poplar blooms rather inconspicuously
Poplars are typical early bloomers
The poplar is one of the native trees that bloom early in the year. Its flowering time is between February and April. And like some other early bloomers, such as hazel or alder, poplars also produce catkin-shaped flowers. So they have a worm-like, drooping spike shape with a characteristic downy exterior reminiscent of cat fur.
The poplar catkins consist of several inconspicuous individual blossoms in which the pollen is located.
First flowering in adolescence
Poplars flower for the first time between the ages of 6 and 11. In relation to the expected overall age of 100 to 300 years, this is about average.
Things to know about gender
Unlike most other catkin-flowering trees, both the male and female flowers of the cottonwood show this inflorescence. Since all poplar species are dioecious, i.e. the individual individuals have separate sexes, male and female poplars do not necessarily differ at first glance. However, anyone who knows the appearance of the male and female catkins of the individual poplar species can differentiate here.
In the case of the aspen, for example, the male and female catkins look quite different. While the males are stout and drab, the females have a much more delicate appearance, greenish in color and with reddish bracts. Another difference is that the male aspens develop a significantly higher number of flowers.
In the case of the black poplar, the male and female catkin blossoms differ primarily in their slacker habit.