The southern-most aspen are found in central Mexico. It may dominate a site until replaced by less fire-enduring but more shade-tolerant conifers. In the Central Rocky Mountains, the extensive stands of aspen are usually attributed to repeated wildfires. It readily colonizes burned areas and can persist even when subjected to frequent fires. Quaking aspen is an aggressive pioneer species. Aspen is intolerant of shade, and does not compete well with more shade-tolerant conifer species. It grows best where soils are moist and sunshine is plentiful. It grows on many soil types, especially sandy and gravelly slopes, and is quick to pioneer disturbed sites where there is bare soil. The leaves of young sucker aspens may be much larger, sometimes 7 to 8 inches long.Īspen trees usually do not live more than 150 years, though they may persist more than 200 years. The flattened stem allow the leaves to quake or tremble in the slightest breeze hence, their name. The leave's small stem (petiole) is flattened along its entire length, perpendicular to the leaf blade. Aspen leaves are smooth, bright green to yellowish-green, dull underneath, until they turn brilliant yellow, gold, orange, or slightly red in the fall. They are pointed at the apex and rounded at the base, with many small rounded to sharply pointed teeth along their margins. Their bark may become rough and fissured with age.Īspen leaves are are thin, firm, and nearly round, 1 1/2 to 3 inches diameter. The green color is from chlorophyll in the bark. Their bark is smooth, greenish-white, yellowish-white, yellowish-gray, or gray to almost white in color. Trees more than 80 feet tall and larger than 24 inches diameter are occasionally found. Photo by Linnea Hanson.Īspen are medium-sized deciduous trees, commonly 20 to 80 feet in height, and 3 to 18 inches diameter.
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