Quaking Aspen (Ep. 15) - Botany with Brit

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Did you know that aspens are capable of regenerating through sprouts from a communal root system that can survive for hundreds or sometimes thousands of years?! These groves of genetically identical aspen are called clones, and they can be most clearly observed in fall and spring when the trees comprising the clone all turn yellow together or all leaf out simultaneously.

Quaking aspen is the most widely distributed tree in North America with a range that extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, reaching north into the boreal forests of Canada and occurring in isolated populations in Mexico. Native Americans and early pioneers used aspen medicinally for relief from colds, infections, and pains - like other members of the willow family it contains salicin, the substance from which aspirin is derived. Aspens also contain the alkaloid quinine which is useful in treating malaria, and prior to the 1880s this disease was much more prevalent in North America.

To thrive, aspen needs abundant sunlight, and our modern habit of fire suppression has allowed conifer forests to shade out the aspen groves. Aspens have a low flammability level which creates a natural firebreak, making them desirable in the vicinity of homes. But you don't want them too close because the aggressive root systems will poke holes in your septic system. Eww.

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[MarshallPust]

Nice episode! Excited for more with Spring here and Summer rumbling down the tracks 🌱

[originaljazzgirl]

Love your positive vibe, thanks! Leaf miner damage at 1:38. :-)

[Gnarmarmilla]

Thank you so much. I was thinking I had a good spot about 20 feet away from my septic tank but apparently that would be a bad idea…
What a beautiful tree. I’m so glad I purchased 6 of them from a company in Wisconsin called “Chief River Nursery.” Their prices for trees are so much more affordable than everyone else I have found, I highly recommend it.

[devinelgert]

There's a grove of aspen in the Fishlake National Forest in Utah called 'pando' (Latin for 'I spread out') estimated to be nearly 80, 000 years old - along with a subterranean mushroom in southeast Oregon, this clonal colony is among the largest macro-organisms in the world.

[mickeyprice]

That was the best explanation of aspen I’ve seen .. I live on 40 acres of mainly aspen in Montana .. I’m curious about the two different species ? There’s the squatter and the taller ..the black fungus as well of how to protect . Great vid

[anemone]

Nice. Here in the UK we have Populus tremula, just called 'aspen'. Also clones and in modern times, not used for much. I wonder if the properties of timber and foliage are similar....

[starmhz]

Great video. Do you have any videos on the mahogany trees the girl out west like in Utah? I heard they can live to be very old. And I'm wondering how many different species there are of them that grow in our area?

[TheWestAspen]

I enjoy planting Aspens in my development projects, clients love them, but over time, they tend to takeover landscaped areas with the horizontal root spread. Is there a method for preventing roots to spread in a particular direction? i.e. inserting a vertical membrane in the direction a person doesn't want the roots to spread?

[jeffkaczmarek]

Very informative video, thank you. In my experience, I've found Quaking Aspen to be quite flammable. I cleared a couple acres with my dad back in the 90s and it was the only species where we didn't have to let the burn piles sit for a few months to dry out. If you got a good fire burning first, we could throw 6 foot long, 12 inch round logs in that were just cut down minutes earlier and they'd catch fire within a few minutes and nothing but ashes in a few hours.

[MichaelBrohawn]

Used this vid for a science lesson about asexual reproduction; thanks!!