Trees to 15 m tall; trunk to 40 cm d.b.h.; bark grayish brown, furrowed. Branches yellowish gray, glabrous; branchlets reddish brown, angled, downy. Buds dull russet, conical, viscid; margin of scales downy. Petiole terete, 3-6 cm, pubescent, with 2 glands near apex; leaf blade ovate to broadly ovate, 5-10 cm, leathery, abaxially pale, adaxially dark green, base cordate, margin crenate, ciliate, apex shortly acuminate. Flowers and capsule unknown.

This species is probably a hybrid between Populus cathayana and P. tomentosa. Similar to the former but petiole with 2 glands near base of leaf; leaf blade leathery. Similar to the latter but branchlets, buds, and petioles tomentose; leaf blade thicker.

* Valleys; circa 1600 m. W Shanxi