Help with strange tree ID (Poplar?)

Can anyone help with this one. Clients were told when they bought the house it had come from Italy. First instinct was Poplar but definitely not alba/canescans/tremula/nigra. Might be a Balsam Poplar or Cottonwood?

Need to figure out how to attach pictures now...

Looks like a pop to me ,can't help with the species but they leave a bitter taste in the mouth if you chew on a twig.

Balsam Poplar or Cottonwood?

looks like a hybrid black, possibly TT32....very common around Glasgow, any pics of the whole tree?

had a look at the books........

Mitchell's guide - T.T. 32 is a hybrid of Western Balsam Poplar (Populus trichocarpa) and Eastern Balsam Poplar (Populus tacamahaca)

Hillier's Manual calls the tree 'Balsam Spire' (P. T.T. 32) (P. Tacatricho 32)

the 32 might mean clone number, not sure?

Philip's guide mentions a fast growing hybrid of Populus nigra (Black Poplar) and Populus deltoides (Eastern Cottonwood) called Populus x canadensis 'Robusta' but I can't find any pictures of the underside of the leaves in the books or internet so not too sure about it.

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peel off a leave and drop it from waist height, does it fall from side to side or spiral to the floor?

I am off immediately to drop a leaf and see what happens. When taking the sample I tried to snap it off, it wouldn't give at all and I ended up biting it off. It tasted minging (for those of you south of the biorder that means bitter).

The leaf floated very serenely to the ground, not a hint of spiralling.

The pic I have of the whole tree is rubbish but I will try and insert it here.

No, that didn't work...

Anyway, the tree is about 10 metres high, very sraight upright trunk (DBH about 400mm), scaffolds coming off at right angles and they all slowly and gracefully curve upwards. Bark is fairly smooth with a few black diamonds but no significant roughening or furrowing (reminiscent of P. alba).

The tree is in west end of Glasgow, playing havoc with wall (heaving and breaking its foundation I think) and with a large surface root.

A cross between Cottonwood and Balsam would explain it perfectly. Descriptions in Hilliers, sketchy as they are, support this general view. I don't have Mitchell's but will notify Santa straight away of my interest. My Phillips is on loan so I can't look it up, I pebet there is a killer photo in it that put it beyond doubt.

Any conclusions from the falling leaf test?

And would anyone be worried about total removal close to buildings in terms of heave, it's a mighty light garage between tree and house and I expect it is wet enough that clays are perpetually swollen but any comments would be appreciated. It has to go but if it is a sensitive issue I could take it away over 3 sessions.

sounds like a 10 year old pop, fell it, grind it, take the £150 and spend it in Harry Ramsdens at lunch time:thumbup:

sounds like a 10 year old pop, fell it, grind it, take the £150 and spend it in Harry Ramsdens at lunch time:thumbup:

always count on stephen for some valued advice.

nae bother!