Abundant and fruitful, Quaking aspen (populus tremuloides) covers more of our continent than any other tree. Aren't we lucky?
"I seem always to be able to find something colorful, something strangely symmetrical, something simply pleasing to the eye about the Aspen tree. It is a beautiful yet complicated plant." --John Fielder, photographer
Aspens share a root system, which means that an entire grove of aspens is one single living organism. One of these large groves--Pando--grows and lives in Utah, and has been tested and proven to have identical genetic markers and one massive underground root system, making it the largest living organism in the world (in regard to mass and weight). Not only is it the largest and heaviest, but also one of the oldest; scientists and tree experts assert that some of today's aspen root systems are about a million years old!
Aspen root systems can stay dormant for centuries, patiently waiting for the right conditions to grow. Once the trees push forth, they grow fast and die young (relatively speaking), and their strength and tenacity show in their eagerness to be the first to grow and establish itself after a forest fire, avalanche, or Mother Nature's other fast changes. (A lonely aspen is not so vigorous, however; an aspen planted from seed generally struggles and suffers; root cuttings fare a bit better.)
Aspen energy feeds its thirst, so trees thrive with deep waterings each time the soil dries. Always prune in winter, and never cut their tops off and expect them to stay healthy. They don't like that.
A tree of all seasons, Aspen's autumn colors are most beautiful on cloudy days, with their overwhelming colors blazing across the landscape. In winter, the stark parallel trunks of the grove frame the world, and spring's glorious foliage invorgorates everything sharing its space. Quaking aspen earns her name in summer, singing a duet with the wind on a stage of blue sky.
In days gone by, the aspen was a tree of heroes wearing crowns of aspen leaves which held the power not only to carry them to the Underworld, but to return them safely. Ancient Celtic wisdom favors the aspen for its protective magical powers that shield us from both physical and psychic harm. Even today, the Bach Flower Remedies recommend extracts of aspen to treat fears and apprehensions.
Oh, Aspen. What's not to love?
References:
Fielder, John. Colorado Aspen Trees. 1984. Westcliff Piublishers, Inc. Englewood.
Leatherman, David. Heidi E. McNulty. Michael E. Schomaker. Dennis L. Lynch Aspen: a Guide to Common Problems in Colorado. 1996. Colorado State University Cooperative Extension and Colorado State Forest Service.
http://www.nps.gov/ National Park Service |
