RUSSIAN POPLAR

About: 

• Name: 
  • The name “Russian poplar” is a misnomer and has nothing to do with Russia. 
    
    
  • The tree is a Western American species known as Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) in the US. 
    
    
  • The species is Locally called as Russi Frass. 
    
    
  
  
  
• History in Kashmir: The variety of poplar trees was introduced in Kashmir in 1982 from the US under a Word Bank-aided social forestry scheme. 
  
  
• Potential benefits: The species takes less time (10-15 years) to grow, as compared to the Kashmir poplar that takes 30-40 years. Due to their high yield, poplars are intensively used in the timber and construction industry.
  
  
• Health concerns: During summers, populous deltoids—female poplar—sheds a cotton-like material carrying seeds that cause allergy and aggravate respiratory disorders. This cotton has become an irritant in the recent past for the locals as well as tourists.
  
  
• View of experts: Three years ago, this led to the Jammu & Kashmir High Court ordering chopping of all Russian poplars in the Valley. Some scientists, on the other hand, have concluded that the seeds from these trees do not cause allergy.