Populus tremuloides
Quaking aspen · also Trembling aspen, American aspen, Mountain aspen
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Populus tremuloides, also known as quaking aspen, is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America. It is recognized for its tall trunks, smooth pale bark, and glossy green leaves that turn golden in autumn and 'quake' in the slightest breeze. This species forms large clonal groves through its root system and is the most widely distributed tree in North America.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 24,9564.7%—3.1 in
- 12,2452.5%9.4 yr3.1 in
- 3,6321.2%—5.5 in
- 2,9830.97%—3.0 in
- 2,9580.91%—5.9 in
- 6600.79%—7.1 in
- 6440.24%—7.1 in
- 6041.3%11 yr4.7 in
- 4851.4%—8.7 in
- 3090.42%—9.3 in
- 2640.08%3.4 yr4.5 in
- 2150.14%5.9 yr8.7 in
- 2110.03%—3.5 in
- 1780.15%5.0 yr3.5 in
- 890.05%—8.0 in
- 620.13%—8.1 in
- 610.01%—11 in
- 520.07%—3.1 in
- 500.43%—12 in
- 400.25%2.9 yr4.1 in
- 300.07%—12 in
- 260.11%—3.9 in
- 210.00%—5.0 in
- 150.01%—8.0 in
- 60.05%—8.5 in
- 10.00%——
Traits
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Mature height
- 20–60 ft
- Canopy spread
- 15–30 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Water needs
- Moderate
- Roots
- Invasive
- Wildlife value
- Moderate
- Blooms
- Mar, Apr, May
Trunk diameters across every city: median 3.5 in, mean 4.8 in, 90th percentile 9.1 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Temperate Conifer Forests
- Alberta-British Columbia foothills forests
- Arizona Mountains forests
- Central British Columbia Mountain forests
- Colorado Rockies forests
- Northern Rockies conifer forests
- South Central Rockies forests
Other Populus in the catalogue
28 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.
