Black Poplars

The rarest tree in the Valley is the Black Poplar and there are only a few of these magnificent trees left, and they are old with a limited lifespan. Black Poplars grow in hedgerows and on a few of our commons. The nearest ones to my office are at Thornham Parva where these two specimens grow along a green lane opposite the church.

Black Poplars are very distinctive. The bark is gnarled and covered in burrs (the black in their name refers to the bark).

The twigs are also a good identification feature - they curve downwards and have a flicked-up tip.

The reason why there are so few trees left is that they are no longer producing viable seed. There are separate male and female trees and these are now so far apart that the seed never gets fertilised. We are trying to get a new generation going by growing young trees at our nursery in Thrandeston.

Each year we supply about 50 saplings to landowners with suitable land along the Valley so that these wonderful trees can remain part of the landscape.

One bit of sad news during the week was finding a dead otter at the entrance to Thornham Walks. It was probably killed by a car. The Enviroment Agency has taken the body to Cardiff University where a post mortem will be carried out.

More soon.