Poplar Close

Set amongst a collection of Plympton streets named after trees, Poplar Close takes its name from a family of trees in the populus genus.

There are numerous types of poplar, with the black poplar being Britain’s native variety. This tree, immortalised in many of John Constable’s paintings of East Anglia, its rapid growth and pollution resistant qualities make it an attractive screen for factories, railways and other industrial structures. For this reason it has been extensively planted in northern industrial areas, where it is also known as the Manchester poplar. Its wood is commonly used for fruit baskets and matches, as well as for clogs, in Holland.

Other varieties include the Lombardy poplar and the Aspen. The former is the tree traditionally associated with the Italian countryside, which was brought from Italy to England in the 18th Century. It is, however, now thought to be a native of Asia. The latter is more common throughout Britain, and has its own street name in Aspen Gardens, which branches off Poplar Close. Neither are used for commercial timber, both being more appreciated for their aesthetic value

EH 14 October 2006