Poplar - Uses

Uses

Although the wood from Populus is known as poplar wood, a common high-quality hardwood "poplar" with a greenish colour is actually from an unrelated genus Liriodendron. Populus wood is a lighter, more porous material.

In modern society poplar is not readily associated with many uses beyond biomass. This poor reputation is undeserved, as its flexibility and close grain give it a balance of properties that have made it highly desirable for a number of applications (similar to those for willow) since antiquity. Notably the Greeks and Etruscans made shields of poplar, and Pliny also recommended poplar for this purpose. Poplar continued to be used for shield construction through the Middle Ages and was renowned for a durability similar to that of oak, but at a substantial reduction in weight.