The Meaning of Trees: Poplar

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Essay Four : Poplar The second series written and presented by experienced essayist, Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, exploring the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK. Poplar's not much good as wood these days - it's mainly used for matches, but it was used for shields and all sorts for centuries. However, it is the most modern and high tech of all trees, being the first tree to have had its complete DNA sequenced, revealing many surprises and secrets. There are many literary references which is surprising if, as many do, one thinks of the poplar as a tall column like tree, but there are lots of varieties, including those feared in former days because of being the tree from which the Cross was made, and the spreading branches of the abundant American poplar made it the tree of choice for lynch mobs throughout the southern States, as referred to in Strange Fruit, Billie Holiday's song describing the scene after a lynching. This second series written and presented by experienced essayist, Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK. Across the series of essays, our ambiguous relationship with trees is explored. The first series was hugely popular and an illustrated book of the essays in planned for 2015. Producer, Turan Ali A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3.