Poplars are typical early bloomers
The poplar is one of the native trees that bloom early in the year. They bloom between February and April. And like some other early bloomers, such as hazel or alder, poplars also have kitten-shaped flowers. So they have a worm-like, drooping ear shape with a characteristic downy exterior that is reminiscent of cat fur.
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- How old do poplars get?
- When does the ginkgo bloom?
The poplar catkins consist of several inconspicuous individual flowers in which the pollen is located.
First heyday in adolescence
Poplars bloom for the first time between the ages of 6 and 11. In relation to the expected total age of 100 to 300 years, this is roughly average.
Interesting facts about gender
Unlike most other trees that produce catkins, both the male and female flowers of the poplar show this inflorescence. Since all poplar species are dioecious, i.e. the individual individuals are sexually separate, male from female poplars do not necessarily differ at first glance. However, if you know the appearance of the male and female catkins of the individual poplar species, you can differentiate here.
In the case of the quaking aspen, for example, the male and female kitten flowers look quite different. While the males are thick and gray-brown, the females have a much more delicate appearance in greenish color and with reddish bracts. Another difference is that the male aspens develop a significantly higher number of flowers.
In the black poplar, the male from the female catkins are mainly distinguished by their slacker habit.
