Quaking Aspen
Populus tremuloides · Deciduous Broadleaf Hardwood
Plant Family
Salicaceae
Tree Category
Forest Tree, Ornamental, Shade Tree
Variety / Cultivar
Species type (Populus tremuloides)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 1-7
About This Tree
A medium-sized deciduous tree known for its smooth, white bark and leaves that 'quake' or flutter in the slightest breeze. It often grows in large clonal colonies via a shared root system.
Leaf Characteristics
Simple, alternate, nearly round to heart-shaped leaves, 1-3 inches long, with fine-toothed margins and flattened petioles that cause the characteristic quaking. Color is dark green above, pale green below, turning golden yellow in fall.
Bark Characteristics
Smooth, greenish-white to cream-colored when young, becoming thick and furrowed with dark horizontal scars and black patches at the base of the trunk as it matures.
Growing Information
Origin Region
North America, primarily throughout Canada and northern United States, extending south through the Rockies
Growing Season
Leafs out in mid-to-late spring with catkins appearing before leaves; enters dormancy after a bright yellow autumn display
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun (intolerant of shade); prefers moist, well-drained soils but can adapt to various conditions; moderate drought tolerance once established.
Mature Size
Height of 20-50 feet, spread of 10-30 feet; fast growth rate; individual trunks are relatively short-lived (50-150 years), though the clonal root system can live for thousands of years.
Special Characteristics
Remarkable colonial growth habit (forming some of the largest living organisms), exceptional golden fall foliage, and soft, white wood often used for matches and paper pulp.
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides critical habitat and food; bark, buds, and twigs are eaten by moose, deer, and elk; seeds and catkins support birds; secondary trunks provide nesting cavities for woodpeckers.