Death of the Lombardy Poplar

Over the last year I’ve noticed what seems to be a boom in the number of tall, thin trees dying around the peninsula, and last week I took a picture and passed it along to Roy and Charlotte Lukes in hopes of finding out what the deal with all these dead trees is. Charlotte quickly pointed me to my answer.

Apparently, the Lombardy Poplar was planted as a windbreakbecause it grows tall and fast. It became especially popular along orchards and property lines. Unfortunately, the poplar is also highly susceptible to canker disease and lives only 15 – 20 years, leaving a towering blight on the landscape when they die. Foresters have called it “the tree they would most like to see less of.

What I haven’t been able to figure out yet is if people knew they had short lifespans when they planted them, or did they expect them to last? My guess is that at least some planted them along with a row of cedars or other slower-growing trees knowing they would die, but only after the other trees had time to grow. If you have any insights, please shoot me an email at [email protected].