trembling aspen

Populus tremuloides

Family: Salicaceae.

Type: Medium-sized deciduous tree.

Branching: Alternate.

Leaves: Leaves are heart- or spade-shaped, with small scallops. They are a bright to dark green in summer, and often turn yellow in the fall before dropping.

Twig: The bark is a greenish-white, and can photosynthesize. It is very smooth with small wrinkles, which is very characteristic. Openings on the bark called lenticels may allow oxygen to diffuse inwards to allow photosynthesis. Scars on the bark are retained for a long time. Young twigs range from green to red.

Fruit & Flower: Not discussed.

Miscellaneous: Also known as shaking aspen or quaking aspen. Its "trembling" in the wind is due to a long, flat petiole arranged perpendicularly to the leaf blade. Aspens and other members of the family Salicaceae reproduce asexually. Aspens in particular form suckers from their roots that can develop into new trees, and so aspens are often found in stands or rings that are all clones (or are all, really, a single organism). Clones of aspen will leaf out simultaneously, and will drop their leaves simultaneously, because they are actually physiologically connected. Rings of aspen clones have been known to live for thousands of years. Aspen are very widespread, from the Arctic to mountains in Baja, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic in northern areas. It is found in very moist areas, such as near lakes, in valleys that receive runoff, and so forth. It is very shade intolerant. It can resprout rapidly after fire due to its suckering ability.





All photos and text ©2008 Ben Haller. Permission is granted to use and reproduce these photos for any non-commercial or non-profit use as long as this original copyright notice is retained.