Populus tremuloides (POP-yoo-lus trem-yoo-LOY-deez)
Family: SalicaceaeNativeCanopy (>40 ft)
Canopy (>40 ft)Native
Quaking aspen is a native deciduous tree in the willow family. It is found in one small area of the mountains of NC and generally does not grow south of zone 6. It has a strongly pyramidal form when young maturing to a narrow rounded crown. It is a tree of cooler northern regions and thrives in rocky soils at high mountain elevations to clay or sandy loams at lower elevations. This tree has beautiful white bark and leaves that quake at the slightest breeze due to the flattened leaf stems. It will not tolerate heat and humidity. Fall foliage is a beautiful yellow.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Native Americans are known to have used this plant as a food source. To prepare it, they would cut the inner bark into strips, dry it, and then ground it to be mixed with other starches for bread or mush. They ate catkins raw, and the cambium both raw and in soups.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Recreational Play Area
Landscape theme
Children's Garden; Native Garden
Garden tags
#deciduous tree #native tree #deciduous #NC native #children's garden #small mammals #shimmer #bird friendly #fall color yellow #fall interest #playground plant #wildlife friendly #winter cover #short lived