Key to Poplars and Willows
in New Zealand

Version 1.0.5

'Yunnan'

P. yunnanensis The Chinese poplar PN 35

‘Yunnan’ is a single clone of the balsam poplar P. yunnanensis from the Yunnan province in China. It was first imported in 1908, and was released for general use in 1986.

Identification

‘Yunnan’ leaves are oval or egg-shaped, rounded or wedge shaped at the base, with a long pointed tip. The leaves are glossy green on the upper surface and white-grey below,and the leaf midrib and stalk is pink-red. The bark is initially smooth and sheds brown flakes annually, but roughens in trees over 15 years old. The buds are sticky and the trees have a strong balsam scent in Spring. Due to it’s sub-tropical origins ‘Yunnan’ has a long leafing period, from mid October to mid June. It is the last poplar to shed it’s leaves in Autumn.

On sheltered sites ‘Yunnan’ develops into a tall, broad-crowned, heavily-branched tree up to 30 m in height. ‘Yunnan’ is male.

Typical uses, site requirements, pest and disease resistance

‘Yunnan’ performs well on fertile, moist, friable soils. It is useful for hillside stabilisation and gully control, particularly in areas where rust diseases are a problem on other varieties. ‘Yunnan’ can be difficult to establish as a pole, but once established it has excellent drought resistance. It is popular as an ornamental tree due to its attractive foliage, balsam scent and long leafing period. As a young tree ‘Yunnan’ is not as frost-hardy as most other varieties, and the fastest growth rates are seen in northern parts of New Zealand.

‘Yunnan’ has excellent resistance to the poplar rusts, and is not palatable to possums.

Performance in trials

On favourable sites growth is up to 2 m in the first year, and drops to 1-2 m in succeeding years. ‘Yunnan’ is slower growing than the hybrids ‘Kawa’ and ‘Toa’.

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