Ten 20 x 20 m plots were surveyed in each of three site classes (poor, medium, and good) for Populus grandidentata growth on three different podzolized soils in western Cheboygan County, Michigan, 14 miles south of the Straits of Mackinac. A phytosociological table shows that exclusive differential species distinguish communities of the poor sites from those of the good sites. In both groups some species are persistent from earlier stages of succession and others are invading species responsible for more recent successional changes. The medium site class lacks differential species. Poor-site stands are developing toward Pinus resinosa-P. strobus forest and Quercus rubra-Pinus forest. Good-site stands are developing toward Acer-Fagus forest, a mesophytic community characteristic of the "northern hardwoods" regional climax. Medium-site stands have potentialities for development toward either the Pinus communities or the Acer-Fagus community, but predominantly in the direction of the latter.