Credit MN DNR & Wikipedia

• Size at Maturity Heightof65'.Aspenstypicallygrowinlargeclonalcolonies,derivedfromasingleseedling,andspreadbymeansofrootsuckers;newstemsinthecolonymayappearatupto90–130’fromtheparenttree.Diameterof12”to20”.

• Range FoundinallpartsofMinnesota;oneofthefirstspeciestoappearaftercuttingorfire,fastgrowing.

• Bark Thin,whitetograygreen,almostsmoothwithblackareasaroundbaseoflimbs;becomesgrayishandwartyordeeplyfurrowed.

• Leaf Simple,alternateonstem;small,broadlyoval,shortpointedatendandfinelytoothedalongmargin;greenandshinyabove,dullgreenbelow;usuallyrangesinsizefrom1"to4"ormoreinlengthaswellasinwidthonvigorousyoungshoots.Leafstalksareflattenedatrightanglestoleaves,causingleavestoquakeortrembleinaveryslightbreeze.

• Seeds or Fruit Thelightbrownseedsarecontainedinacottonymass(catkin).Theyusuallygerminateinafewhoursaftertheyreleasefromthetree.Theseedsripensinlatespring(MayorJune)beforefullexpansionofleaves

• Wildlife Uses Aspenbarkisanimportanthostsforplantsthatwillgrowoutofthebarkandactasfoodforthelarvaeofbutterfly.Youngaspenareoftenforagedonbyrabbits.Beaverliketocutdownaspentrees.

• Wood Product Uses Usedformakingmatchesandpaper

• Insect and Diseases InsectsthataffectAspentreesincludeAphids,AspenLeafMiners,SawfliesandWesternTentCaterpillar.DiseasesincludeInkSpotDiseaseandMarssoniaBlight.

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)