• bible sitting next to a teapot

    Whitman Mission

    National Historic Site Washington

Silver Poplar (Populus alba)

Close-up of the distinctive diamond shaped marks found on younger trees.

Look at the leaves of the silver poplar! They are two-toned—one side green, the other white and felted.

Silver poplars can also be identified by the darker markings that spot its bark. When the tree is young, the marks are diamond-shaped, but as the tree matures, the characteristic diamond-shape begins to crack and split.

Some Native American tribes ate the inner bark as an energy source; some used it for medicinal purposes. Because poplar wood is so flexible, today it used in snowboards, electric guitars, and drums.

 
Looking up in the Tipi grove, one can see the top of the tipi, leaves of the poplars, and blue sky.
Silver poplars can be found in the Tipi Grove.
NPS

Did You Know?

Brass compass which belonged to Dr. Whitman

In the fall of 1842 Dr. Whitman decided to travel from Waiilatpu to Boston. He wanted to convince the board members to keep his mission station open. Dr. Whitman was in such a hurry when he left that he forgot his compass.