Aspen: A Facts sheet

Quaking Aspen (Facts – 1): Botanically this tree is known as Populus tremuloides and usually it is referred as Aspen.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-2): Some people also call it as “quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, Quakies, mountain or golden aspen, trembling poplar, white poplar, popple.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-3): The forests of this phenomenal tree are widespread in the high plateaus and mountain ranges of North America from the northeastern coastal regions till Alaska.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-4): Some of the collections of these trees are also found in the rocky mountain regions of the central Mexico.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-5): A tall, fast growing tree, usually 20–25 meters (66–82 ft) at maturity, with a trunk 20–80 centimeters (7.9–31 in) in diameter; records are 36.5 meters (120 ft) in height and 1.37 meters (4.5 ft) in diameter.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-6): The leaves on mature trees are nearly round, 4–8 centimeters (1.6–3.1 in) in diameter with small rounded teeth, and a 3–7 centimeters (1.2–2.8 in) long, flattened petiole. Young trees (including root sprouts) have much larger—10–20 centimeters (3.9–7.9 in) long—nearly triangular leaves.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-7): The flowers are catkins 4–6 centimeters (1.6–2.4 in) long, produced in early spring before the leaves while the fruit is a 10-centimetre (3.9 in) long pendulous string of 6-millimetre (0.24 in) capsules.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-8): The most distinguished fact of this tree it’s the color changing nature of its clones especially in the times of leafing and falls.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-9): Aspen bark contains a substance that was extracted by Native Americans and the pioneers of the American West as a quinine substitute. On the other hand, the leaves are a great source for caterpillars of various Lepidoptera.

Quaking Aspen (Facts-10): Aspen stands are in decline on the Colorado Plateau. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that between 1962 and 1986, aspen stands have declined by 46% in Arizona and New Mexico.

A Fantastic video capture of Quaking Aspen and Rocky Mountains