Wildlife
- Feeds birds
- Shelter & nesting
Deer, rabbits, beavers and porcupines eat the bark, twigs and leaves, and birds use the crown for nesting and roosting.
Ships bare root
Mature plant shown. Yours ships dormant and bare root.
What arrives
1 dormant bare-root plant, about 2–3 ft tall
- No leaves, no pot, no soil. Roots packed moist.
- Ships in your zone's planting window.
- Leafs out about 4–8 weeks after planting.
tree
Hybrid Poplar
Populus deltoides x Populus nigra
- Ships 2–3 ft tall
- 1 plant, bare root
- Zones 3–9
- Grows 40–50 ft
$11.95Was $14.95Save 20%
No reviews yet. Be the first to reviewThe quick answer
Hybrid poplar is a cottonless, very fast-growing deciduous tree for USDA zones 3-9, reaching 40-50 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide. It needs full sun and steady moisture. Buy it for the quickest possible shade, screen or windbreak, adding several feet a year, but expect a relatively short life.
When it ships to you
Zone scheduleHow many?
plants
Free shipping on orders $75+$75
Healthy deliveryOr we replace it
Shipped dormantTimed to your zone
1-year warrantyStore credit, terms
Hybrid Poplar plant profile
Mature size40–50 ft tall · 20–30 ft wide
Typical (40 ft)Up to 50 ft
Upright tree with an oval crown, narrower than most cottonwoods.
USDA hardiness zones3–9
Sun & growth
SlowMediumFast
Needs full sun for its fast growth.
SoilpH 5.5–8.0
4 acidic6.59 alkaline
Adapts to most soils, including wet and alkaline sites, but needs steady moisture and has low drought tolerance.
Yellow fall colorWindbreak
Flowers & fruit
Not grown for flowers; it produces non-showy catkins in early spring. This cottonless clone makes no cottony seed.
Leaves & fall color
Yellow in fall. Bright green, triangular leaves that turn yellow in fall.
Pests & disease
Prone to stem cankers and leaf spot, and limbs can break in wind or ice. It is a relatively short-lived tree.
Pruning
Prune in late winter to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches and to develop one strong central trunk. Remove narrow-angled limbs early because the wood breaks easily.
Bare root vs potted
Skip the garden-center markup.
Garden centers buy young plants, pot them, grow them another season and mark them up. We ship yours dormant and bare root, timed to your planting window.
Bare root, from us$11.95ships dormant
Example: 3-gal potted American hazelnut$70–$140online retail prices checked Oct 2026
A year with your Hybrid Poplar
SPRINGNon-showy catkins, then bright green triangular leaves.
SUMMERVery fast growth, often several feet a year; water during dry spells.
LATE SUMMERWatch for leaf spot and stem cankers.
FALLYellow leaves; no cotton or seed fluff.
Questions people ask about Hybrid Poplar
How fast does a hybrid poplar grow?
It is one of the fastest-growing trees, often adding 5-8 feet a year in full sun with good moisture. It reaches about 40-50 feet tall.
Does hybrid poplar make cotton?
No. This is a cottonless clone, so it does not shed the cottony seed fluff that cottonwoods do.
How long do hybrid poplars live?
They are relatively short-lived trees and are prone to cankers and limb breakage. Plant them for quick results and pair them with longer-lived trees for the long term.
Where should I not plant a hybrid poplar?
Keep it away from patios, play areas, sidewalks and sewer lines, because limbs can break and the roots spread widely. It suits open yards, field edges and windbreaks.
Does hybrid poplar need a pollinator?
No. It is grown for shade and screening, not fruit or seed, so one tree is all you need.
What does the hybrid poplar look like when it arrives?
It ships as a dormant, leafless bare-root tree about 2-3 feet tall. Soak the roots and plant it right away.
Plant it in 4 steps
- Soak the roots in cold water overnight before planting.
- Dig twice as wide as the roots; plant at the depth it grew.
- Water, then mulch. No fertilizer the first season.
- Water regularly until it's established.
Plant facts checked October 2026 against: Arbor Day Foundation, Utah State University.