Populus tremuloides Michx. Salicaceae -- Willow family D. A.
Perala Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is the most widely
distributed tree in North America. It is known by many names:
trembling aspen, golden aspen, mountain aspen, popple, poplar,
trembling poplar, and in Spanish, álamo blanco, and álamo
temblón (49). It grows on many soil types, especially sandy and
gravelly slopes, and it is quick to pioneer disturbed sites
where there is bare soil. This fast-growing tree is short lived
and pure stands are gradually replaced by slower-growing
species. The light, soft wood has very little shrinkage and high
grades of aspen are used for lumber and wooden matches. Most
aspen wood goes into pulp and flake-board, however. Many kinds
of wildlife also benefit from this tree. Quaking aspen grows
singly and in multi-stemmed clones over 111° of longitude and
48° of latitude for the widest distribution of any native tree
species in North America (48). The range extends from
Newfoundland and Labrador west across Canada