Aspen trees are part of the willow family. Aspen trees are native to the colder regions of the far north of the Northern Hemisphere. Aspen trees can also be found southward but only in the high altitudes of the mountain regions. Aspen trees are easy to locate because of their nearly round leaves on adult trees. The leaves of an Aspen tree are attached to the tree with strong flattened leaf stems, which enables the leaves to flutter in the lightest winds.
Aspen trees tend to grow in large groups, sprung by single seedlings; this is done by means of root suckers. The roots systems continue to grow, allowing new stems to grow. The portion of the Aspen tree that we see above ground generally lives up to 150 years. But the underlying root system could be 1000’s of years old. There is a root system in Utah that is to be believed to have been around for over 80,000 years, possibly making it the oldest living group of Aspen trees.
Aspen trees are only one of few trees that will survive in the mist of a forest fire. This is all in part of the main living organism of this species lives underground, protected from the fire. Even if all of the tree stems that have growing upright are all burned down. The root system will reproduce new stalks. So as you can see a forest fire indirectly, helps the Aspen tree colony, allowing new saplings to grow in full sunlight, that isn’t broken by bigger trees.
We have found out recently because of the fast growth habit of an Aspen tree, the aspen tree is becoming more popular in forestry. Which benefits both the forest and man. Regeneration of the forest and harvesting at a lower cost occurs since foresters don’t have to replant or sow new aspen trees.
An old saying about Aspen tree leaves are the a made from female tongues due to the never ending quivering is due to a woman inability to stop talking.
The wood of an Aspen tree is soft and white but fairly strong and is said to be very low in flamboyancy. Notably the reason Aspen tree wood is used to make matches, and used as the inner walls of saunas.
