Tree nursery owners on the Prairies are eagerly awaiting the release of a new poplar variety developed by federal researchers.
AC Sundancer, developed at Agriculture Canada’s Agro Forestry Development Centre, is now being released as a commercial cultivar for the landscape industry and is in high demand from rural landowners.
The tree is suited for smaller properties because it’s not particularly big or broad. It doesn’t suffer from diseases usually associated with other hybrid poplars, such as bronze leaf and rust disease, and its root systems are controlled and don’t spread. It is also male, so it doesn’t have seeding problems.
Unlike other hybrid poplars, AC Sundancer doesn’t grow fast and lives longer.
