Augustus Griffin

Hybrids created by Griffin in 1918, by crossing "a native female cottonwood collected at Stevelle and a male Russian poplar" became the "backbone of many of the farm shelterbelts [in Alberta]. Six male clones were selected from these hybrids. Brooks #1 was named "Griffin Poplar" (P. x 'Griffin') after Griffin. Brooks #4 and #6 became part of the shelterbelt program in Alberta.^[5][6]

While the Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) is a native to Alberta, in cities in Alberta, most planted city trees are either a ‘Northwest’ hybrid (P. x ‘Northwest’) or Griffin poplar, which was developed at Brooks Research Centre in Alberta. The Griffin poplar has a more conical form. The Calgary Herald described these hybrid poplars as "monster trees" which are "great for parks and along boulevards are too big for most modern yards."^[7]

In 1933 Augustus Griffin noted that this plant was growing in what is now Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada on the east side of the Rocky Mountains.^[8] The Waterton Mockorange Philadelphus lewisii 'Waterton' was hybridized by the Alberta Horticultural Research Station in Brooks, Alberta, Canada. It is drought-tolerant and is suitable for xeriscaping.^[8] It grows to 4–6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m) in height. It is hardy from USDA zones 3 to 9.