of New York 



47 



QUAKING ASPEN 



Populus tremuloides, Michaux 



THE QUAKING ASPEN is also called Trembling Aspen and 

 Small-toothed Aspen. The air must be remarkably still 

 if the foliage is not quaking or trembling. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, l l / 2 to 2^ inches long, 

 nearly round, finely toothed on margin, with leaf-stalks flat- 

 tened laterally. 



The flowers ap- 

 pear early in the 

 spring. Pollen- 

 bearing and seed- 

 producing occur on 

 different trees. 

 Both are arranged 

 in slender droop- 

 ing tassels. 



The fruit is a 2- 

 valved capsule con- 

 taining small seeds 

 with tufts of fine 

 hairs. 



The bark is 

 white or grayish 

 to yellowish- 

 green; on old 

 trunks becomes 

 rough and black. 

 The twigs are 

 smooth, shiny, 

 reddish-b r o w n . 

 The buds are narrow, conical, sharp-pointed, smooth, shiny, 

 appear varnished, covered with 6 to 7 reddish-brown scales. 



The wood is soft, weak, not durable, fine in texture, white 

 to light brown. It is used for paper pulp, boxes, crates, and 

 wooden dishes. 



The Quaking Aspen is the most widely distributed tree in 

 North America. It is a transcontinental tree extending from 

 Newfoundland to Alaska and south to New Jersey, Ken- 

 tucky, Mexico, and California. This tree is common in 

 most sections of New York, but is rare on calcareous soils 

 and infrequent in the pine barrens of Long Island. 



Closely related to the Quaking Aspen and widely dis- 

 tributed in New York is the Large-toothed Aspen (Populus 

 grandidentata) . The leaves of the latter are larger and more 

 coarsely toothed, and its buds are stout, broad-pointed and 

 covered with a flour-like coating. 



QUAKING ASPEN 



One-fourth natural size, except enlarged flowers 



and twigs. 



