A few yellow leaves are appearing on the black Italian poplars. These handsome trees, which are also called black hybrid poplars, are a cross between the black poplar, which is a native tree here, and one of the American black cottonwoods. “Cottonwood” is the American name for poplars, and comes from their fluffy seeds. The hybrid probably arose in Italy in the 18th century, and now it is common in parks and along roadsides, often in long, tall lines, all over Europe. The leaves are shaped like the ace of spades.
There are also yellow specks on the Lombardy poplars. These are the trees like spires, or tall plumes, that are also grown in long lines, and are always associated with the edges of French country roads. It is a variety of black poplar. Its shape comes from the way the short side branches grow upward along the side of the trunk. It gets its name from the fact that it was first noticed in the Po valley.