Populus ‘Chiba’ has a narrow, fastigiate form, making it great for use in shelter belts. It is highly resistant to poplar leaf rust, and its leaves turn yellow in the autumn. Populus ‘Chiba’ is tolerant of frost and wind, but it prefers moist soil conditions and does not do well in coastal areas or dry soils. Populus ‘Chiba’ is deciduous, not native to New Zealand, and is a hybrid between Populus maximowiczii and Populus nigra. Populus ‘Chiba’ was developed by Allan Wilkinson in New Zealand and was named after Shigeru Chiba of the Japanese Oji Paper Company who supplied the Populus maximowiczii parent.