Populus nigra ‘Italica‘ Height: up to 25 m Trunk: grey bark, deeply longitudinally fissured Crown: narrow, columnar Leaves: triangular to diamond-shaped, with fine serrated edges, 5-12 cm long, on flattened stem Flowers: drooping, red catkins in March/April before leaves emerge Other: frequent urban tree, cultivated from native black poplar Lombardy poplar© Martina Gehret Lombardy poplar© Martina Gehret