Do you have any planting tips for successfully growing InnovaTree?
InnovaTree is best suited for areas that get full sun.
When planting young InnovaTrees, weed management is recommended for best success. Keeping a two-foot area around the tree's base clear of weeds for the first 2-3 years will result in less root competition and a strong, healthy tree. Mulch or landscaping fabric also work well to keep the weeds down.
Staking young, potted InnovaTrees is recommended. For new trees that have little stem width, it is recommended to stake using 2-3 stakes and secure with grafting tape or twine. Staking is recommended for up to 3 years on young trees.
It is also recommended that deer protection or fencing be added around young trees.
Average water requirements are recommended. InnovaTree will show signs of stress if it is overwatered or planted in poorly draining soil.
For more tree planting and care tips, review the University's Extension website.
Speak with your local nursery for planting guidelines specific to your zone and climate.
Where can I grow InnovaTree?
InnovaTree is suitable for Zones 3-6. It grows well in a variety of well-drained soils including loam, sandy loam, clay loam, and light clay soils with annual rainfall above 20 inches.
Does InnovaTree have good fall colors?
InnovaTree’s fall colors are similar to native poplars and cottonwoods. You should expect yellow foliage in fall, turning to brown and dropping ahead of winter.
What are the recommended landscaping uses of InnovaTree?
For residential properties, InnovaTree is ideal for quickly achieving privacy, screening and windbreaks.
Due to InnovaTree’s root growth, it is recommended that these trees are planted at least 25 feet away from any structures, septic systems or wells. Do not plant underneath power lines.
For landowners it is great for conservation plantings, wildlife habitat, landscaping, buffer strips, windbreaks, firewood, and fiber production plantations.
How fast does InnovaTree grow?
By volume InnovaTree grows 64% faster than leading commercial varieties. Under good conditions it grows up to 10 feet/year, reaching 35 feet in less than 5 years.
How tall will it grow?
InnovaTree grows to a maximum height of approximately 75 feet.
How long does it live?
InnovaTree can live for up to 70 years.
Does InnovaTree sucker?
Unlike native poplars, InnovaTree does not spread by suckering. You will not have tiny trees growing up from InnovaTree’s root system.
Does InnovaTree participate in any Carbon Market programs?
InnovaTree captures an impressive 6.8-8.5 metric tonnes of CO₂ per acre per year. Trees with a similar parentage to InnovaTree are utilized in carbon market programs, and NRRI researchers are actively pursuing carbon market projects for InnovaTree.
Are hybrid poplars an invasive species risk?
Hybrid poplars are not an invasive species risk for several reasons.
The NRRI Hybrid Poplar Program has established over 45 field sites throughout Minnesota and the Midwestern and Northeastern U.S., and [to date] has never witnessed escaped seedlings surviving outside the plantings. It should be noted also that hybrid poplars have been planted across the U.S. landscape as windbreaks and landscape trees for over 50 years with no documented invasive species concerns.
How do Hybrid Poplar Plantations affect native birds and mammals?
Several research studies have been done to assess the effects of hybrid poplar plantations on native birds and mammals. It is helpful to keep in mind that hybrid poplar plantations are planted as an agricultural crop on marginal agricultural land. Therefore the effects of hybrid poplar plantations on native birds and mammals should be compared to the effects of agricultural cropland.
What the research studies say:
“We studied abundance and species composition of birds and small mammals on hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) biomass plantations and other nearby land use types in the north central United States. There were few differences in mammal abundance or diversity between hybrid poplar plantations and rowcrop or small-grain fields. Avian abundance and species richness were consistently higher on plantations than in row crop or small-grain fields. Our findings suggest little negative site-level effect on songbirds or small mammals resulting from replacement of row crop or small-grain fields with hybrid poplar;”
“Plantations provide habitat at least as favorable for native birds and mammals (as evidenced by overall density, species richness, and species composition) as agricultural croplands.”
“Numbers of breeding bird individuals and species in plantations were lower than in surrounding forest/shrub habitat, but higher than in row crops.”
Are NRRI’s hybrid poplar trees GMO (genetically-modified organisms)?
The Hybrid Poplar Research is a non-GMO program that uses conventional applied breeding techniques by means of controlled pollinations in an isolation-greenhouse.
The program does not modify the genome of these plants, use genetic modification techniques or use or incorporate genetically modified organisms into our breeding stock.
Can hybrid poplar trees be used for phytoremediation?
Phytoremediation is the use of plants to clean contaminated soil, sediment, and groundwater. Hybrid poplar trees are standing by to help us clean up environmental messes!
This video explores a partnership between NRRI and Ron Zalesny, USDA Forest Service, to use hybrid poplar trees for phytoremediation research.
What is the difference between carbon sequestration and carbon storage?
Sequestration is the rate carbon is pulled from the air: it is a measurement of efficiency. Think of it in terms of getting good gas mileage out of a car. Storage is how much carbon is stored or locked into vegetation. There is no universal answer to which tree or plant is the best at capturing carbon, but current data suggests that InnovaTree can sequester carbon 4 times faster than red pine.
What is the best time of year to plant InnovaTree?
The recommended planting season is from spring into summer, when there’s no threat of freezing weather. Typically this is from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Speak with your local nursery for planting guidelines specific to your zone and climate.
How far apart should I space InnovaTree?
- Privacy screen: 8-16 foot spacing between InnovaTrees
- Windbreak: 12-16 foot spacing between InnovaTrees.
- Space at least 25 feet from the foundation of a building or septic systems
- It is best to not plant InnovaTree under power lines or near roadways.
Take into consideration equipment size if mowing or cultivating is desired between plantings.