Yep, they are short lived especially in the humid southeast due to canker problems when they reach 15 to 25 years old. In climates with low summer humidity they can live over 100 years. Lombardy Poplars do have brittle twigs, and when the top dies they will keep sending up suckers and new shoots from the stump. A much longer lived and nicer kind is Theves Poplar, it's almost exactly like Lombardy but is much more suited to high humidity and probably could live 80+ years. Populus is my most favorite genus of trees, I think all poplars are very beautiful with their glossy fluttering leaves and the nice surf sound they make in the wind.

Thanks Konrad, You wont beleive this ,but I planted several poplars on my septic feild ,and would plant the swedish aspen near it also.The more water they suck out of the ground ,the better .lol. As for suckers I'd love them.I want to fill my back yard with all kinds of trees kinda like a forest.Of coarse to many suckers would be a bit of a nusience,but I cut them down by mowing.

They stain differently because poplar is much softer than maple. You need to stain the maple and then get some pieces of scrap poplar to play with. I could tell you more but I don't want to go to the trouble if you don't want to take the time and expense and effort. If you don't, get the minwax stain and pratice on a piece of scrap maple and poplar.

i am in the middle of this right now! my cabs have poplar face frames and all the door and drawer fronts are maple. they are being painted on site right now. it is a bit disruptive but the whole kitchen remodel is disruptive so what is a few more days! details on the on site painting: the professional painter supplied by my GC took over my bonus room and garage. the ENTIRE rooms (ENTIRE!) have been draped in plastic and tarps, they have in effect created their own portable clean rooms. they sprayed 2 layers of primer and now they are spraying the finish coats. they look excellent! they did this once the cabs were installed so doors and drawers are painted and dry out in the garage and the cabinet boxes are painted in place in the kitchen where everthing is also draped and masked. you could have them paint them in a shop where there is a cleanroom, but then they need to transport them and install them where they could get dinged and need to be patched. so seems like each approach has tradeoffs. be prepared for odors when they paint on site and you need to provide them the space to do it. good luck!