was consecrated to Hercules because he destroyed Cacus in a cavern adjoining the Aventine Hill, which was covered with these trees; in the moment of his triumph, he bound his brows with a branch of white poplar as a token of his victory. Persons offering sacrifices to Hercules were always crowned with branches of this tree, and all who had gloriously conquered their enemies in battle wore garlands of it, in imitation of Hercules. Homer in Iliad compares the fall of Simoisius when killed by Ajax to that of a poplar. Ovid mentions that Paris had carved the name of Ænone on a poplar, as Shakespeare has Orlando carve the name of Rosalind upon the trees of the forest of Arden. Virgil gives directions for the culture of this tree and Horace speaks of the white poplar as delighting to grow on the banks of rivers. Invasive potential The white poplar is an invasive species in many parts of Australia. In Western Australia, it has formed dense stands in disturbed wetlands from Perth to Albany and it is considered a threat to riparian vegetation in Victoria. It has spread along the Murrumbidgee River and in wet areas in rural parts of the Australian Capital Territory. Despite that, it is still sold in nurseries around Australia. White poplar is also an environmental weed in South Africa. References External links Leaf and bark photos Tree identification Images, diseases, galls and fungi on treetrees.com Populus alba - information, genetic conservation units and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) alba Flora of Asia Flora of Europe Flora of Ukraine Plants described in 1753 Symbols of Hades Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Plant dyes