Quaking Aspen
Populus tremuloides · Deciduous, Broadleaf, Hardwood, Native
Plant Family
Salicaceae (Willow family)
Tree Category
Ornamental, Forest Tree, Shade Tree
Variety / Cultivar
Wild Type (Populus tremuloides)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 1 through 7. Highly cold-hardy, enduring winter temperatures well below -40°F (-40°C); poorly adapted to hot, humid southern climates.
About This Tree
A slender, fast-growing deciduous tree with a narrow, rounded or pyramidal crown. Characterized by smooth, striking white-to-greenish-white bark marked with dark scars, and round-to-ovate leaves on flattened petioles that tremble in the slightest breeze. Often forms vast clonal groves connected by a shared underground root system.
Leaf Characteristics
Simple, alternate arrangement, nearly orbicular to broadly ovate, 1.5 to 3 inches long and wide. Dark green above, paler beneath, with finely serrated margins and a short pointed tip. Petioles are distinctly flattened laterally, causing the characteristic fluttering motion. Turns brilliant golden-yellow in autumn.
Bark Characteristics
Smooth, greenish-white to chalky-white or cream-colored on young to mid-aged trunks, marked with dark horizontal lenticels and black scars where branches self-prune. Becomes darker, rough, thick, and deeply furrowed near the base as the tree matures.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to cooler areas of North America, spanning northern Canada, Alaska, down through the Rocky Mountains to Mexico.
Growing Season
Leaves emerge in spring (April-May) accompanied by pendant catkins; green foliage persists through summer; brilliant yellow autumn display in September-October; dormant in winter. Best planted in early spring or autumn.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight). Moderate water needs; prefers moist, well-drained soils. Intolerant of heavy shade or prolonged standing water.
Mature Size
Typically reaches 20 to 50 feet (6 to 15 m) in height with a narrow spread of 10 to 30 feet (3 to 9 m) in cultivated settings; fast growth rate (>2 feet per year); individual stems live 40-150 years, though clonal root systems can live for thousands of years. Trunk diameter usually 1 to 1.5 feet.
Special Characteristics
Renowned for its shimmering/fluttering foliage in light wind and brilliant golden fall color. Forms massive underground clonal colonies. Bark contains photosynthetic chlorophyll, allowing energy production even in winter. High wildlife value but susceptible to wood decay and borers in warm or stressful urban environments.
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides critical habitat and forage; beaver preferred food source and construction material; bark and buds eaten by ruffed grouse, deer, elk, and rabbits; leaves support larvae of numerous butterflies and moths (e.g., Viceroy, Tiger Swallowtail); provides cavity nesting sites for woodpeckers and songbirds.