If you live in a warm area in a hardiness zone higher than zone 7, you should transplant aspens in early spring. Some people call the trees "quaking aspens" because the leaves rustle and shimmer in the wind. Fall planting requires very precise planning and even then, bad weather can easily damage or kill your new trees.
Where Do Aspen Trees Grow?
What are the different types of aspen trees?
What Does an Aspen Tree Look like?
What is the most common aspen in North America?
How to identify an aspen tree?
How tall is the Korean Aspen tree?
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When should I plant an aspen tree?
springAs with all trees, the ideal planting season is in early spring. Planting in early spring gives your new tree the most time to establish a strong and healthy root system which will ensure that it is capable of withstanding the harsh, cold winter.
What's the best way to plant an aspen tree?
Plant the trees in moist, well-drained soil. The soil should be slightly acidic for the tree to thrive. Plant aspens on northern or eastern slopes, or northern or eastern sides of your house, rather than sunnier areas. They cannot tolerate drought or hot, dry soil.
How long does it take for aspens to grow?
This tree grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24" per year.
Do aspens spread?
As Quaking Aspen will spread through root sprouts (suckers) over time, it should be planted where there is room to grow or in masses.
Do aspen trees require a lot of water?
Water quaking aspens to a 2-foot depth every two to four weeks to keep them hydrated and healthy. In areas with hot summers, increase the frequency of watering to every other week to keep the roots cool and moist.
What pairs well with aspen trees?
Some of the most common examples of plants that you can put under your aspen tree include cosmos, bachelor's buttons, and zinnias, which require fewer nutrients than typical flowers. Low crawling herbs such as soapwort, sedum, thyme, mint, and catnip will also grow well under your aspen tree.
Should I plant aspens in my yard?
The conditions at our elevation (under 6,000 ft) are not ideal for aspen. It is too hot, too dry, and the soil pH is too high. These conditions will only shorten their life even more, while opening them up to the susceptibility of diseases and insects. I would not recommend planting an aspen in your yard.
How deep do you plant an aspen tree?
Work the soil 15 inches (38 cm) deep in the entire cleaned site and add organic compost. Now your planting site is ready. Dig a hole and plant the root ball of the sapling, firming the soil mixed with compost around it. Water it well for the entire growing season.
How far apart should I plant aspen trees?
Prepare the soil. Dig a hole twice as wide and deep as the aspen's root ball. If planting more than one tree, space the holes 10 to 15 feet away from each other.
Will deer eat aspen trees?
Deer, moose, and elk seek shade from aspen groves in summer. These same animals consume bark, leaves, buds, and twigs of quaking aspens throughout the year. Ruffed grouse are especially dependent on quaking aspens for food and nesting habitat.
How deep do aspen roots go?
Root System - Roots are abundant in the top 2 to 2½ feet of soil. Aspen usually regenerates from root suckers. Soil Texture - Prefers sands to loam but tolerates variable soil conditions. Soil pH - 5.5 to 8.0.
How long do aspen trees live?
One hundred years is considered old for an individual aspen. But while the individual trees don't live very long, the large clones can live for thousands of years.
Where do aspen trees grow best?
It grows on many soil types, especially sandy and gravelly slopes, and is quick to pioneer disturbed sites where there is bare soil. It grows best where soils are moist and sunshine is plentiful. Aspen is intolerant of shade, and does not compete well with more shade-tolerant conifer species.
How far apart do you plant aspen?
Height: 30 - 40 feet. Spacing: 30 feet. Depth:Plant at stain on trunk. Spread:20 - 30 feet.
How do you care for a newly planted aspen tree?
Water, water, water Watering them slowly and deeply is the goal, which means placing a soaker hose or a garden hose at the base of the tree (where the edge of the root ball is, not near the trunk) and releasing a slow trickle of water for two hours. Water this way from June through October every 7 to 10 days.
How far do aspen roots spread?
Studies of the Populus tremuloides root system by Day (1944), Sandberg (1951) and Barnes (1959) have all shown lateral roots extending as much as 30 feet from tree base. These roots may branch extensively and sometimes exhibit an "undulating" growth habit.
How to harvest aspen saplings?
To “harvest” these saplings, you cut off the root suckers, dig them out and transplant them. Aspens also propagate with seeds, although this is a much more difficult process. If you are able to grow seedlings or buy some, aspen seedling transplant will be virtually the same as root sucker transplant.
How to grow aspen trees in a hole?
Break up the soil down to 15 inches (38 cm.) below the planting site. Amend the soil with organic compost. Work sand into the mix as well if drainage is poor. Dig a hole in the worked soil for the seedling’s or sapling’s root ball. Position the young aspen in the hole and fill in around it with extruded soil.
What is an aspen tree?
Aspen trees ( Populus tremuloides) are a graceful and striking addition to your backyard with their pale bark and “quaking” leaves. Planting a young aspen is inexpensive and easy if you transplant root suckers to propagate the trees, but you can also buy young aspens grown from seed. If you are interested in aspens, ...
What is the role of aspens in nature?
On the other hand, consider that the role of aspens in nature is as a “succession” tree. Its job in the wild is to spread quickly in eroded or burned out areas, providing cover for seedlings of forest trees like pine, fir and spruce. As the forest trees get bigger, the aspens die out.
How Big Do Quaking Aspens Get?
If you are planting a quaking aspen tree, you may ask “how big do quaking aspens get?” They are generally small or medium trees, but can grow to 70 feet (21 m.) tall in the wild.
What is a quaking aspen?
Image by Bret-Barton. Quaking aspen ( Populus tremuloides) are lovely in the wild, and enjoy the most extensive native range of any tree on the continent. Their leaves have flattened petioles, so they tremble in every light breeze.
Can you plant quaking aspen trees?
Quaking Aspen Tree Facts. Before planting a quaking aspen tree in your garden , you’ll need to understand the pros and cons of cultivated aspen trees. Some gardeners love them, some do not. Aspen trees grow very quickly and are very hardy. That means that you can “furnish” a new backyard in just a few seasons if you plant aspens.
Do cultivated trees drop their leaves in the fall?
Note that cultivated trees grown in soil unlike that in which the tree experiences in the wild may stay smaller than trees in nature. They also may drop their leaves in the fall without that brilliant yellow display you see in the parks.
Do aspens die out?
As the forest trees get bigger, the aspens die out. Quaking aspen tree facts establish that this succession tree spreads very fast in proper terrain. It grows fast from seeds, but also grows from suckers. Planting a quaking aspen tree can lead quickly to many quaking aspen weed trees invading your yard .
Favorite Activity in Fall
Our informal poll with locals turned up unsurprising results: everybody loves to mountain bike in fall. On weekends through October 6, you can still take the Elk Camp Gondola up Snowmass Mountain and access the 50 miles of trails, many of which dash through thick stands of golden aspen.
Lost Forest
Open on weekends through September, the Lost Forest combines a series of unique challenges for guests. Take your pick between a lengthy zipline course, a ropes challenge course, a new climbing wall and the thrills of the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster.
Hiking
The air might be brisker, but the spectrum of colors in fall is just as vivid as summer on the hiking trails surrounding Aspen and Snowmass Village. For a strenuous climb, head up Buckskin Pass in the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness, or take a mellow stroll along the Roaring Fork.
Fly Fishing
Maybe its the prospect of cold weather, but the brown and rainbow trout lurking in the Roaring Fork and Fryingpan Rivers are ravenous this time of year. Stop by a local fly shop for tips, or — if you are staying at The Little Nell — connect with one of their adventure guides for a fly-fishing expedition you'll never forget.
Aspen Saturday Market
Come sample the freshest Colorado produce and farm-to-table foods on the streets of downtown Aspen every Saturday through October 8th. Live music and a laid-back atmosphere make it ideal for families.
Maroon Lake and Maroon Bells
One of North America's most photographed spots, Maroon Lake and the twin, 14,000-foot summits of the Maroon Bells are at their best in late September when the aspen leaves surrounding them turn gold.
Ashcroft
This abandoned but preserved mining town south of Aspen has always felt a little ghostly — they call them "ghost towns" for a reason, right? — but in fall, its spectral presence seems extra strong. Aspen trees surround the entire site.
Basic Aspen Tree Growth
To understand what plants you can grow near your Aspen, it is first important to know how your Aspen grows, as you don’t want to accidentally impede its growth through planting competition.
Pairing Aspens With Different Plants
When choosing additional plants to grow around your Aspens, it is important to think of the requirements of both. In doing so, you can ensure that both your plants and tree will be happy and healthy.
Will Plants Under Aspen Trees Harm The Tree?
Another important factor to look at is safety with plants. This doesn’t refer to your safety but instead refers to the safety of your Aspen tree itself. With this, some companion plants can compete with your Aspen, or in worse cases, even kill it.
6 Best Plants to Put Under Your Aspen Tree
Now that we know what Aspen trees need and what to avoid when companion planting, we can now look at the specific plants that you can (and should!) put under your Aspen tree, as well as how to plant them.
Where Do Aspen Trees Grow?
The species of these quacky trees are also in several regions of North America, Africa, Asia, and Europe with major cultivation in the USA and Canada.
What are the different types of aspen trees?
There are six different species of Aspen Trees, depending upon the region they’re planted and grown: 1 Chinese Aspen: Native to China, Chinese Aspen Tree boasts a height of 30 meters. Its wood is used for construction and furniture making. 2 Korean Aspen: Korean Aspen Tree reaches a height of 25 meters and has triangular-shaped leaves. It is famous for its smooth red or brown bark. 3 Bigtooth Aspen: Found in central and eastern regions of North America, Bigtooth Aspen features leaves with larger teeth. Its thin and olive-green colored bark differentiates them from the other aspen trees. 4 Japanese Aspen: Tall deciduous trees commonly occurring in the hilly mountainous landscapes of Japan. Its woolly textured wood is abrasion-resistant. 5 Eurasian Aspen: Known as trembling aspen, the characteristics of the European Aspen is similar to that of common aspens. It is also a home for the woodpecker. 6 Quaking Aspen: The most common aspen can be found in major regions of North America. Its leaves turn into a stunning shade of yellow in fall.
What Does an Aspen Tree Look like?
Generally grown in colonies, Aspen trees feature thin white-colored bark with tiny, tender, and round leaves.
What is the most common aspen in North America?
Eurasian Aspen: Known as trembling aspen, the characteristics of the European Aspen is similar to that of common aspens. It is also a home for the woodpecker. Quaking Aspen: The most common aspen can be found in major regions of North America. Its leaves turn into a stunning shade of yellow in fall.
How to identify an aspen tree?
You can identify Aspen trees easily by their white-colored beautiful bark and tender leaves, rounded in the middle with pointed apex.
How tall is the Korean Aspen tree?
Korean Aspen: Korean Aspen Tree reaches a height of 25 meters and has triangular-shaped leaves. It is famous for its smooth red or brown bark.