**Description and Classification:**
– Mature trembling aspen trees can grow from 15–50m tall, with trunks up to 2.5m in diameter.
– Bark on young trees is smooth and white to greenish or dark gray.
– Leaves are spirally arranged, vary in shape, and turn bright gold to yellow in autumn.
– Poplar tree seeds are easily dispersed by the wind.
– Flowers are mostly dioecious and appear in early spring before the leaves.
– Genus Populus has traditionally been divided into six sections based on leaf and flower characters.
– Recent genetic studies largely support this classification.
– Hybridization is common in the genus, with several hybrids between species known.
– There are currently 57 accepted species in the genus.
– Fossils of Poplus wilmattae date back to the Late Paleocene of North America.
– Some notable species include Populus trichocarpa and Populus nigra.
– Poplars and aspens are important food plants for many Lepidoptera species.
– Several species of Populus in Europe have experienced dieback.
– Pleurotus populinus, the aspen oyster mushroom, is found exclusively on dead Populus trees in North America.
**Cultivation and Uses:**
– Poplars are grown as ornamental trees and have vigorous root systems.
– Many cultivars are used, with fastigiate branching being popular.
– Poplars can form huge colonies from a single tree due to their suckering abilities.
– Micropropagation protocols have been developed for some Populus species.
– Poplars are commercially grown in India, mainly in the Punjab region.
– Poplar wood is lighter and more porous compared to other hardwoods.
– It is suitable for various applications due to its flexibility and close grain.
– Poplar was historically used for shield construction by the Greeks and Etruscans.
– Poplar wood was renowned for its durability similar to oak but with less weight.
– Populus foliage and parts are used in traditional Pamiris house construction.
– Poplar wood is known for its quality and is used for making shields.
– Poplar wood was used for shield construction through the Middle Ages.
**Manufacturing and Energy Production:**
– Hybrid poplars grown on plantations for pulpwood.
– Poplar widely used for paper manufacturing.
– Poplar used for hardwood timber, pallets, cheap plywood.
– Poplar used in snowboard cores, electric guitars, drums.
– Poplar bark used in tanning leather.
– Poplar used as an energy crop for biomass.
– Poplar grown in short rotation coppice system for energy.
– High biomass yields per hectare in the UK and Italy.
– Poplar studied for biofuel production in the US.
– Thermochemical conversion methods explored for biofuel production.
– Economically feasible biofuel production from poplar.
– Higher energy recovery with thermochemical conversion.
– Short rotation coppice poplar studied for biofuel production.
**Art and Land Management:**
– Poplar commonly used in Italy for panel paintings.
– Some stringed instruments made with poplar backs.
– Poplar targeted by harp luthiers for sound boards.
– White poplar wood with slightly yellowish color.
– Poplar used in famous paintings like the Mona Lisa.
– Lombardy poplars used as windbreaks in agriculture.
– Poplar logs used as growing medium for shiitake mushrooms.
**Phytoremediation and Research:**
– Poplar suitable for phytoremediation.
– Ability to remove and store harmful pollutants.
– Successful in targeting various pollutants in soil and air pollution.
– Leaf, internode, and root segments used for regeneration.
– Study on yield and spatial supply of bioenergy from poplar and willow.
– Investigation on using poplar for sugar-based biorefinery feedstock.
– Fast pyrolysis of poplar for thermochemical conversion.
– Enhanced degradation of TCE using endophyte-assisted poplar tree phytoremediation.
– Biomass production and energy balance of poplar stands.
– Use of poplar in short-rotation coppice for bioenergy.
– Phytoremediation of landfill leachate and compost wastewater with poplar.
– Cleaning PCB contaminated garden soil by phytoremediation.
– Phytoremediation of trichloroethylene with hybrid poplars.