Populus tremula
Populus tremula | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Salicaceae |
Genus: | Populus |
Section: | Populus sect. Populus |
Species: | P. tremula
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Binomial name | |
Populus tremula | |
Distribution map |
Populus tremula (commonly called aspen, common aspen, Eurasian aspen, European aspen, or quaking aspen)[2] is a species of poplar native to cool temperate regions of the Old World.
Description
It is a substantial deciduous tree growing to 40 metres (130 ft) tall by 10 m (33 ft) broad, with a trunk attaining over 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in diameter.[3] The bark is pale greenish-grey and smooth on young trees with dark grey diamond-shaped lenticels, becoming dark grey and fissured on older trees.[citation needed]
The adult
The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins produced in early spring before the new leaves appear; they are dioecious, with male and female catkins on different trees. The male catkins are patterned green and brown, 5–10 centimetres (2.0–3.9 in) long when shedding pollen; the female catkins are green, 2–6 centimetres (0.79–2.36 in) long at pollination, maturing in early summer to bear 10–20 (50–80) capsules each containing numerous tiny seeds embedded in downy fluff. The fluff assists wind dispersal of the seeds when the capsules split open at maturity.[5][6][3]
It can be distinguished from the closely related North American Populus tremuloides, which is nearly identical, by the leaves being more coarsely toothed.[6]
Like other aspens, it spreads extensively by suckers (root sprouts), which may be produced up to 40 m from the parent tree, forming extensive clonal colonies.[5][6] This often makes the job of clearing unwanted trees from an area especially difficult, as new suckers will continue to sprout from the extensive root system for up to several years after all surface growth has been eliminated.[citation needed]
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to Europe and Asia, from Iceland
Ecology
Eurasian aspen is a water and light demanding species that is able to vigorously colonize an open area after fire,
It is a very hardy species and tolerates long, cold winters and short summers.[citation needed]
Aspen is resistant to browsing pressure by fallow deer due to its unpleasant taste.[10]
This species is important for the hornet moth, which uses it as a host during the larval stage.[citation needed]
Fossil record
Fossils of Populus tremula have been described from the fossil flora of Kızılcahamam district in Turkey which is of early Pliocene age.[11]
Cultivation
The aspen is found in cultivation in parks and large gardens.[12] The fastigiate cultivar ‘Erecta’, with bright yellow autumn colouring, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[13][14] The cultivar is colloquially known as "Swedish columnar" in Canada and the United States.[15]
The hybrid with Populus alba (white poplar), known as grey poplar, Populus × canescens, is widely found in Europe and central Asia. Hybrids with several other aspens have also been bred at forestry research institutes in order to find trees with greater timber production and disease resistance (e.g. P. tremula × P. tremuloides, bred in Denmark[16]).
Use
The wood of aspen is light and soft with very little shrinkage. It is used for
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-4665-8669-7.
- ^ a b c d e Wühlisch, G. (2009), Eurasian aspen - Populus tremula: Technical guidelines for genetic conservation and use (PDF), European Forest Genetic Resources Programme, p. 6 p
- ISBN 978-0-521-70772-5.
- ^ a b Trees for Life Species Profile: Aspen Archived 2014-02-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ ISBN 0-00-220013-9.
- ^ "Blæösp (Populus tremula) Vísindavefurinn".
- ^ James Kilkelly Irish native Aspen tree
- ^ Den Virtuella Floran: Populus tremula (in Swedish; with maps)
- Rackham, Oliver(1994). The Illustrated History of the Countryside. London : BCA. CN 2922.p. 64.
- ^ Kasaplıgil, Baki (1977). "Ankara, Kızılcahamam yakınındaki Güvem köyü civarında bulunan son tersiyer kozalaklı-yeşil yapraklı ormanı" [A Late-Tertiary Conifer-Hardwood Forest From the Vicinity of Güvem Village, Near Kızılcahamam, Ankara] (PDF). Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration (in Turkish and English). 88. Ankara: General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration: 94–102.
- ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Populus tremula". Archived from the original on 23 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Populus tremula 'Erecta'". Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 81.
- ^ "Aspen - Swedish Columnar". Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Jensen, N. (1994). Guide til Arboretet i Hørsholm (in Danish).
External links
- Video, commentary and annotation on why Aspen leaves tremble.
- Populus tremula - distribution map, genetic conservation units and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN)
- Populus tremula - Aspen; info, images and video at Woodland Trust
- "Populus tremula". Plants for a Future.