Whiteout: Removing Invasive White Poplars From Your Land
Many species of exotic and invasive trees plague Australia, but few are as beautiful and stately as a fully-grown white poplar. It's easy to see why this tree, also known as the silver poplar or abele, was imported for ornamental use. But however attractive the tree may appear, it has a definite ugly side. This aggressive and highly durable tree can cause a world of problems in the areas it invades, and any landowner or farmer who finds one or more of these alien trees growing on their land would be well-advised to remove them.
What makes the white poplar such a threat?
White poplars have a number of unusual properties that can cause damage to the environment, your property and, most importantly, your bank account:
- Aggressive growth: White poplars grow quickly and can reach great heights, with dense, wide crowns of foliage that cast large areas of shadow. They also have wide-ranging and notoriously strong root systems, allowing a single tree or stand of trees to sap soil of groundwater and nutrients across a wide area. As such, native plants and crops in the area can be quickly starved of essential nutrients and sunlight, leading to extensive dieback.
- Suckering: While white poplars can reproduce from seeds, they also have a more unusual way of creating more trees. The root systems of white poplars are capable of sprouting suckers, small stems that can grow into full-sized trees while remaining attached to the root system of the 'parent' tree. If left unattended, suckers can quickly form dense, homogeneous thickets of trees that can block access to paths and waterways and provide safe havens for vermin and crop pests.
- Property damage: The roots of white poplars aren't just a threat to other plants -- they grow with such speed and strength that they can push through solid objects such as concrete foundations and subterranean pipes, causing expensive and potentially dangerous damage to buildings and structures.
- Seed dispersal: White poplar seeds bear clumps of 'fluff' similar to dandelion seeds, that allow seeds to be carried many miles by wind. White poplar infestations can therefore spread quickly over wide areas.
How should I have white poplars removed from my land?
Removing these tenacious trees can be difficult, but there are a number of ways to go about it:
- Uprooting: Uprooting, either with manual digging or bulldozing/chain pulling, is a viable option for isolated or particularly young white poplars. Take exceptional care, however -- white poplar root systems respond to disturbances by quickly sprouting large amounts of suckers, and even a small fragment of root left behind in the soil can rapidly grow into a new tree. If you choose this option, bring in professional tree removal services to ensure a thorough job. Be sure to remove any suckers that appear as quickly as possible.
- Controlled burns: Living white poplars burn steadily but slowly, making them good candidates for controlled burning. Repeatedly cutting down smaller poplars and allowing them to regrow will speed the process along, as it increases the levels of flammable organic materials present in the trunks and branches. Once again, professional assistance is highly recommended here to avoid accidentally firebombing your own property, and this technique is highly discouraged if any native wildlife remains in the affected area.
- Herbicides: Triclopyr-based herbicides are generally effective on even mature white poplars and can be administered into cut back or sprayed directly onto the base of the trunk. Defoliant herbicides can also be used to remove leaves and slowly starve trees, but be aware that both of these herbicides have the potential to badly affect native flora and fauna. Minimise runoff to avoid groundwater contamination, and use other control methods if your poplars are growing by streams or other waterways.
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