History: Quaking Aspen

Source of version: 9 (current)

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!The Tree
The Quaking Aspen is a small to medium sized tree from 50 to 65 feet high and12 to 20 inches in diameter at full maturity, but usually it is found from 30 to 40 feet high and from 8 to 12 inches in diameter. Trees have been found, however, which were 90 feet high and 8 feet in diameter. It is not a long-lived tree, grows rapidly and is subject to much decay, especially when approaching full growth. The trunk is straight with a smooth, thin bark, which has a conspicuous whitish or gray-green appearance. The leaves are rounded and from one and one-half to three inches long. They tremble, quake and tum with even a slight breeze. The tree reproduces rapidly from both seed and root suckers and grows in abundance particularly in fire damaged and in cut-over areas.

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!Common Names in Use
* Quaking Aspen (lit. and hort.)
* American Aspen (Vt.)
* American Poplar (Minn.)
* Aspen (N. H., Mass., R.I., Conn., N.Y., N.J., Pa., Del., Ill., Ind., Wis., Mich., Minn., Ohio., Ontario)
* Aspen Leaf (Pa.)
* Golden Aspen (west)
* Mountain Aspen (west)
* Poplar (Vt., N.Y., Ill., Minn.)
* Popple (Wis., Iowa)
* Quaking Asp (N.Y., Pa., Del., Ill., Iowa, Minn.)
* Quiver-leaf
* Tremble (Quebec)
* Trembling Aspen (Iowa)
* Trembling Poplar (Minn.)
* White Poplar (Mass.)

!Growth Range
Quaking Aspen is very widely distributed throughout most of the northeastern and western portions of the United States and into portions of Canada and Alaska. It grows from Maine southward to Tennessee and westward to the Dakotas; and in most of the mountains of the western States.

!The Wood
The sapwood is very light and almost white, and gradually merges with the heartwood of grayish-white to light-grayish tan. When fully seasoned the wood is without odor, has a natural sheen, and fine velvety texture. It is straight grained, soft, weak, rather stiff, tough, and shrinks considerably in drying. It is difficult to season without warping. The wood is easily worked with tools, glues easily but has a tendency to split in nailing, In tuning, sharp tools should be used and “little bites” taken as the wood is soft and has a tendency to “fuzz.” It should be sanded while in the lathe. It is better to paint or enamel Aspen than to stain it.
{img type="fileId" fileId="592" thumb="box" desc="Romeyn B. Hough's American Woods, Volume III plate 72" alt="Romeyn B. Hough's American Woods, Volume III plate 72" featured="y"}

!Uses
The principal uses of Aspen are for fine pulp for magazine and book paper, pulp, excelsior, matches, boxes, crates, food containers, sporting and athletic goods, furniture, radios, and general
millwork, It is especially preferred for making cheese boxes and small boxes for shipping foods because of its light weight and color and its freedom from odor or taste.

!File References
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History: Quaking Aspen

Source of version: 9 (current)

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