Populus tremula (European Aspen)

Populus tremula (European Aspen) is a large deciduous tree adorned with a broad crown boasting rounded, coarsely toothed leaves, up to 3 in. long (7 cm). Emerging copper-bronze, they mature to gray-green before turning brilliant yellow in the fall. They flutter and tremble in the slightest breeze, constantly moving and rustling, so that trees can often be heard but not seen. In mid-spring, before the leaves emerge, small male and female flowers appear in separate catkins on separate male and female trees. The female flowers give way to small drooping fruiting clusters. The bark is smooth and silvery gray first later fissured with diamond-shaped pores (lenticels). A beautiful tree for cool summer climates.

• Grows up to 30-70 ft. tall (9-21 m) and 10-30 ft. wide (3-9 m). This tree suckers profusely.
• A full sun lover, this plant is easily grown in rich, humusy, fertile, consistently moist but well-drained soils. Avoid planting near buildings due to the vigorous root system.
• This beautiful tree may be subject to willow leaf beetle, caterpillars, bacterial canker, a rust, honey fungus and silver leaf disease.
• Propagate from hardwood cuttings in winter or suckers in autumn or late winter.
• Native from northwestern Europe to northern Africa, Siberia.