plant · GBIF taxon 3040215
Populus tremuloides
populus tremuloidesAlso known as Trembling Aspen, American Aspen, Golden Aspen, Trembling Poplar
Quaking aspens paint mountainsides in brilliant gold each autumn, their leaves trembling in the slightest breeze due to uniquely flattened petioles. These trees form massive, interconnected clonal colonies through a shared root system, creating some of the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth. Their smooth, greenish-white bark performs photosynthesis even in winter, providing vital energy when the leaves are gone.
DeciduousClonalAutumn Color
- diet
- Sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide via photosynthesis
- family
- Salicaceae
- threats
- Climate change, fire suppression, and overgrazing by wild ungulates
- life Span
- 70 to 150 years for individual trunks; thousands of years for clonal root systems
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Listen closely: Stand quietly beneath the canopy on a breezy day to hear the distinctive rustling sound.
- Look for scars: Examine the pale bark for dark, eye-shaped scars left by self-pruned lower branches.
- Identify clones: Spot distinct clonal patches in autumn by looking for groups of trees changing color simultaneously.