Species Description
"Recognized by portion of petiole adjacent to leaf blade conspicously flattened perpendicular to the blade; By
leaves with 20-40 crenate to serrate teeth on a side. Trees to 33 m tall by 87 cm DBH. Winter buds sharptipped with sticky
bud scales. Seed-bearing catkins about 10 cm long. Reproducing by root suckers as well as by seeds; a poineer in a manner
similar to populus grandientata and often found with it.
Occurring in a variety of soils in the open or in thin woods. Scattered loclities in the SE, mostly at higher elevations."
Leaves | 1 1/4 to 3 in in diameter; shape suborbicular to broadly ovate; margin finely cernate-serrate; apex acute to acuminate; base rounded; surfaces somewhat lustrous, green and glabrous above, duller and glabrous below; petioles latterally flattened, 1/2 to 3 in. long; fall color bright yellow |
Fruit | ca. 1/4 in. long, narrowly conical, curved |
Twigs | slender, lustrous, reddish brown; terminal buds conical, sharp pointed, someitimes very slightly resinous, covered by 6 to 7 visible, reddish-brown, imbricated scales; lateral buds incurved, similar to the terminal buds but smaller |
Bark | smooth, greenish white to cream-colored, at length furrowed, dark brown or gray, often roughened by numerous wartlike exerscences |
For an image of the
Quaking Aspen click here
Geography
AREA | STATUS | REFERENCES |
North America | Yes | Duncan & Duncan 1988 |
Eastern North America | Yes | Duncan & Duncan 1988 |
Southeastern United States | No | Duncan & Duncan 1988 |
Southern Appalachian States | No | Duncan & Duncan 1988 |
Coastal Plain | No | Duncan & Duncan 1988 |
Piedmont | No | Duncan & Duncan 1988 |
Blue Ridge Mountains | Marginal | FAO 1979 |
Great Smokey Mountains | Marginal | FAO 1979 |
Ridge and Valley | Marginal | FAO 1979 |
Cumberland Plateau | No | FAO 1979 |
Central Arch | No | FAO 1979 |
Georgia | No | FAO 1979 |
Clarke County | No | FAO 1979 |
Sams Farm | No | FAO 1979 |
Unless managed most of this species is not prosperous after 60 years of age because of their rapid deterioration. Although some trees may live as long as 150 years. Over 500 different organisms feed off of the Quaking Aspen. In the northern regions of the United States this species is foumd to be valuable for its pulpwood production and are easily regenerated by coppice systems.