Poplar fluff, heat, Winsor

Residents of the town of Winsor from Ontario have recently had to deal with the "side effect" of the poplars. Now the community is littered with poplar down, and allergy sufferers have a hard time getting out of their homes.

Doctors say that the down itself is not an allergen, but the dust and pollen of other plants adhere perfectly to it. These "gifts" poplar down actively spreads over huge distances, sometimes dozens of kilometers. And it also mechanically irritates the mucous membranes in the human body, if it is accidentally swallowed or inhaled/.

Poplars are very common in Canada. At one time, they were actively planted in cities because they were beneficial. Poplars are completely unpretentious, can grow anywhere, filter the air and suck out the dust that sticks to their sticky leaves. They also prevent landslides, waterlogging and salinization of soils. It would seem to be a win-win situation. The Canadian municipalities thought so, too, but they didn't consider how much fluff these trees produce.

Fluff used to not be a problem for Canadians, but it's different now. For one thing, poplars have a sex and can change it. Only female trees produce down, and male trees produce inconspicuous pollen. Cities were planted with male trees and thought the problem was solved. However, with the complete absence of female trees and improper care, the poplars eventually change sex. It takes decades, but then the "transgender" trees produce tons of down.

Second, the poplars like the hot and arid climate. This year Canada is particularly hot, which has caused storming forest fires. Global warming has not spared this country either — its climate is changing inexorably. Now the poplars have ideal conditions in which the malignant plants are ready to reproduce endlessly.

For now, Canadians are figuring out what to do with the prolific trees. The easiest way is to cut them down and plant new ones, but then the problem goes away for 20-30 years. There are other ways to reduce the amount of down — trees can be cropped, for example. However, this should be done by competent people, preferably botanists. A simple gardener with a saw will not be able to do it properly.

Now Canadians have discovered the fun of post-Soviet children. They enjoy setting the down on fire where it is allowed to do so, and watching as the fire runs across an entire field and immediately goes out. They couldn't find any other uses for the down — it's not good for making fabrics or fillers for pillows.