logo of Tapada Nacional de Mafra
CHOUPO-NEGRO
BLACK POPOLAR

Também conhecido por álamo, álamo-negro, álamo-da-terra, almo e amieiro-negro. Pertence à Familia dos Choupos. Arvore de grande porte de folha caduca. Espécie dióica - existem choupos-negros machos e choupos-negros fêmeas. Arvore originária da Europa Oriental e Ásia Ocidental mas introduzida na Península Ibérica deste a Antiguidade, sendo, por isso, já considerada autóctone. Ocorre, normalmente, nas margens de linhas de águas.

MORFOLOGIA
Apresenta folhas com forma de lägrima, verde-escuras por cima e mais claras por baixo Flores em cachos, as masculinas de cinzento a carmin e as femininas esverdeadas
A floração acontece entre fevereiro/março

DIMENSÃO
Pode it até 30 metros

DISTRIBUIÇÃO NA TAPADA NACIONAL DE MAFRA
Ao longo do vale principal

CURIOSIDADES
Usada como atvore omamental e na manutenção das margens das ribeiras.
As flores surgem em cachos e aparecem antes da folha.
A sua madeira é muito clara, mole e leve por isso, muito usada ’na carpintaria e fabrico de pequenos materials como fósforos e colheres de pau

Also known as the populous, Lombardy poplar. Balm of Gilead, black cottonwood, Italica and álamo In Portuguese. Belongs to the Poplar family. This large sized tree is deciduous. A dioecious species - thus, there are both male black poplars and female black poplars. Originally from Eastern Europe and Western Asia but introduced to the Iberian Peninsula in ancient times and hence already deemed indigenous. The tree is most commonly found on the banks along watercourses.

MORPHOLOGY
Features tear-shaped leaves, dark green in colour on the surface whilst lighter on the underside. Flowers form in bunches, with the male ones in grey and carmine, and the female ones greenish in colour Blossoming takes place between February and March.

SIZE
Potentially up to 30 metres tall

DISTRIBUTION IN TAPADA NACIONAL DE MAFRA
Along the main valley.

INTERESTING FACTS
Planted as an ornamental tree and for the maintenance of the banks of rivers and streams.
The flowers emerge in bunches and appear before the fallage.
Its wood is very clear coloured, soft and light and hence very popular for carpentry and the manufactur of small items such as matches and cooking spoons.

One of the series of signs found in Tapada - Hunting Park, a world heritage site.

The tree was photographed on the same day Click for a larger image