quaking aspen
Populus tremuloides
The 'Pando' colony in Utah is one of the world's oldest and heaviest living organisms, estimated to be 80,000 years old.
- Scientific name
- Populus tremuloides
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Malpighiales › Salicaceae › Populus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Found in montane forests, boreal regions, and at the edges of meadows or disturbed sites.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic; produces energy from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
- Range
- North America, Canada, United States, Mexico
- Size
- Height: 20-80 ft; trunk diameter: 3-18 inches.
- Lifespan
- Individual stems live 50-150 years; clonal root systems can survive for tens of thousands of years.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Climate change-induced drought, overgrazing by elk and deer, fire suppression, and Sudden Aspen Dieback (SAD).
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Safe to approach and touch. Do not carve into the white bark, as it is thin and easily damaged, exposing the tree to pathogens. Avoid heavy foot traffic around the base to prevent soil compaction over the shallow root systems.
Populus tremuloides is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, one of several species referred to by the common name aspen. It is commonly called quaking aspen , trembling aspen , American aspen , Quakies , mountain or golden aspen , trembling poplar , white poplar , popple , as well as others. The trees have tall trunks, up to 25 meters (82 feet) tall, with smooth pale bark, scarred with black. The glossy green leaves, dull beneath, become golden to...
Photo: Douglas Goldman, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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