Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database


Populus tremuloides (Quaking Aspen, Western Trembling Aspen)

 

Kingdom

 Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom

 Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision

 Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division

 Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class

 Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass

 Dilleniidae

Order

 Salicales

Family

 Salicaceae – Willow family

Genus

 Populus L. – cottonwood

Species

 Populus tremuloides Michx. – quaking aspen

Note: Throughout the years I've written short articles for our website's home pages (home pages are the front page of a website) about these plants. They are now included at the bottom of this page, and are illustrated by botanical drawings and paintings, some of which are from books published from 1500 - 1900.

This small ornamental tree is of the highest quality, growing rapidly to reach at least 30' and developing a full, round crown.

The triangular leaves quiver on long, flattened stalks.

In fall, the brilliant golden fall leaves underscore the soft, greenish bark.

Quaking Aspen is extremely adaptable and occurs across North America, to USDA zone 1. Along the Pacific coast, it grows from the Bering Strait to Mexico.

It prefers moist but not soggy sites and is often planted in groups.

This tree forms a dense root system and is an excellent choice for soil reclamation projects or planting after a fire.

There is an old fashioned charm about Quaking Aspen. The gentle trembling leaves on a warm summer day create a peaceful garden.

           
  
   

From Homepage September 8, 2005

One of the most popular northwest native ornamental trees is the Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides). This is a small tree of the highest quality, just the thing for city or country gardens.

It's small leaves flutter in the slightest of breeze giving movement in the landscape. In fall, the leaves turn golden and contrast beautifully with the greenish bark.

An old fashioned tree that adds a peaceful and charming touch to the landscape.

Consider planting Yellow Glacier Lily (Erythronium grandiflorum) or Fawn Lily (Erythronium oreganum) beneath your Quaking Aspen. Both plants are perennial. These two lilies have beautiful leaves and charming blooms that look like little ballerinas in spring. They'll make a fine show as the Aspen leaves begin to unfurl. Lovely!

Photos We Share!

It is our pleasure to share the photographs in this section with you under the Creative Commons License (see link below for details). We retain ownership of the photos but you may use them freely as long as you credit our website for them.  

              

              

              

Creative Commons License
These photos by http://www.nwplants.com are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Contact:  star@chillirose.com ~ Copyright 2012 © Wallace W. Hansen ~ All rights reserved