How to Grow and Care for Quaking Aspen Trees

Populus tremuloides

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), beloved for its fluttering foliage and golden fall color, is a captivating presence in sunlit meadows and on mountain slopes.

In fact, you’ll spot it just about everywhere in the US – this is the most widely distributed tree species in North America.

It’s fast-growing, adaptable, and remarkably easy to cultivate once it’s in the ground.

For gardeners who want to support local ecosystems while adding movement and visual interest to the landscape, quaking aspen is a natural fit.

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

The best use for this tree is to let it do what it does best – spread.

When allowed to expand naturally along a sunny woodland edge, P. tremuloides supports a diverse range of wildlife.

Insects and animals alike rely on the tree for food and shelter, adding year-round purpose and interest to the garden.

There’s nothing quite like the dance of a thousand shimmering leaves on a summer breeze, or the striking splash of yellow when a colony bursts into fall color.

Ready to grow your own? Here’s what we’ll cover:

Also known as trembling, golden, or mountain aspen, this medium-sized deciduous tree can reach up to 80 feet tall. The genus is a member of the willow family, Salicaceae.

Its rounded canopy is covered with circular, gray-green, lightly toothed leaves, each attached with a flat petiole.

It’s these flattened stems that causes the characteristic flutter – catching the wind like a tiny sail – and gives the tree its common name.

The bark is a striking pale gray to white, often marked with dark, eye-shaped patches that add to its charm.

P. tremuloides has another extraordinary trait: its ability to reproduce via extensive underground rhizomes.

In fact, it holds the title for the largest known organism on Earth. A single aspen tree in Utah covers more than 100 acres with its root sprouts and continues to expand.

Aspens are dioecious, which means individual trees are either male or female. In early spring, before the leaves emerge, both produce dangling, four-inch-long catkins.

These furry, wind-pollinated flowers are among the earliest signs of spring, often appearing after the first consistent 50°F days.

It thrives where other plants struggle, sometimes growing as much as six feet in a single season.

While it performs best in moist, loamy, well-draining soils that are rich in organic matter, this tough pioneer species can grow in nearly any site where its roots can take hold.

However, in extremely dry, rocky soils or persistently soggy sites, trees will remain stunted and may decline prematurely.

In the wild, P. tremuloides provides crucial forage for elk, moose, deer, hare, and rabbits.

Saplings with dense, low foliage offer valuable cover for ground-nesting birds like woodcock and grouse. In the western US, it’s also been used as forage for livestock, especially sheep.

The light, soft wood doesn’t splinter, making it a safe choice for manufacturing items like particle board, paper products, and even small animal bedding.

How to Grow

Quaking aspen is a fast-growing native tree that brings dynamic beauty and ecological value to the landscape.

While this species is not commonly used in ornamental horticulture, its ability to support wildlife and rapidly colonize disturbed areas makes it a valuable addition to naturalized settings.

To cultivate quaking aspen successfully, consider the following guidelines:

Site Selection

Choose a site with well-drained, loamy soil and full sun exposure.

While quaking aspen can tolerate a range of soil types, including sandy and rocky soils, it does not perform well in areas with poor drainage or excessive moisture.

Plant quaking aspen in areas where it has room to spread without interfering with structures or other plantings.

Soil

Quaking aspen prefers slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH 5.5 to 7.0 that is rich in organic matter.

Incorporating compost or other organic amendments can improve soil fertility and structure, promoting healthy root development.

While adaptable, the tree may struggle in heavy clay soils.

Watering

Regular watering is essential during the establishment phase. Once established, quaking aspen prefers consistent moisture but can tolerate short periods of drought.

During dry spells, especially in the growing season, water deeply to maintain soil moisture. Mulching around the base of the tree can help retain soil moisture and regulate temperature.

Fertilizing

Quaking aspen generally doesn’t require fertilization if planted in fertile soil.

Avoid over-fertilization, as excessive nutrients can lead to weak wood and increased susceptibility to pests.

Where to Buy

To get started with quaking aspen, you can usually find the species plant available in nurseries and garden centers, as well as online.

Quaking Aspen

Nature Hills Nursery carries plants in #3 and #5 containers as well as bare roots.

There’s one cultivar, called ‘Prairie Gold’ which is more tolerant of drought and heat than the species plant, making it an excellent choice for the southern and midwestern United States.

It’s hardy as far south as Zone 8 and grows up to 35 feet tall.

Maintenance

Minimal pruning is needed for quaking aspen. Remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.

Since the wood is quite brittle, branches may break during storms, necessitating cleanup. You’ll need to manage suckers if you wish to control the spread of the tree. You can dig these up.

Propagation

Quaking aspen can be propagated from seed, cuttings, or by transplanting nursery stock.

While clonal spread through root suckers is its most common method in nature, all three approaches are viable with the right technique.

From Seed

Growing P. tremuloides from seed is difficult because the seeds only remain viable for a few days and must be sown immediately after collection.

But if you want to give it a try, first you’ll need to get your hands on some seeds. Here’s how:

1. Locate female trees six to eight weeks after catkins emerge in spring.
2. Collect seeds when white tufts (pappus) begin emerging from pods.
3. Store in a breathable bag or envelope and clean immediately.
4. Remove the fluffy pappus by rubbing seeds gently over a sieve and blowing off the debris.

When you are ready to sow:

1. Fill a tray with moist potting soil and surface sow the seed, tamping it gently to ensure good contact. These seeds need light to germinate.
2. Set the tray inside a flat with no drainage holes and fill the outer tray with half an inch of water.
3. Cover with a clear plastic bag and place in a sunny spot where the temperature remains consistently between 60 to 75°F.
4. Check your seeds every couple of days to ensure the soil is moist to the touch. If not, add more water to the bottom flat.
5. Germination should occur within a week or two.
6. Thin seedlings to one inch apart after true leaves appear, and again later to select the strongest.

When they are a few inches tall, you can transplant into individual pots or directly into the garden, spaced 15 feet apart.

From Cuttings

In early spring, cut six-inch sections of pliable, one-year-old wood from branch tips. Remove any leaves from the bottom two to three inches.

Prepare pots with equal parts peat and potting soil. Water well so the soil is moist but not waterlogged.

Use a pencil or your finger to poke planting holes in the prepared potting soil.

Dip the bottom two inches of each cutting in rooting hormone and insert into the holes, firming soil around them.

Place pots in a bright, sheltered outdoor location, such as against a south-facing wall or under a cold frame.

Transplanting

Transplanting a quaking aspen purchased from a nursery is the most straightforward way to get started with this species.

Plant in either spring or fall, avoid doing so during summer and winter.

Choose a site with full sun and soil that stays moist but not waterlogged. Avoid areas that are extremely dry or consistently wet – while quaking aspen can survive tough conditions, it won’t thrive in them.

Dig a hole slightly larger than the container the plant is currently growing in. Ensure the depth matches the height of the root ball so that the top sits level with the surrounding soil.

Remove the plant from its container, loosen the roots gently, and place it in the hole.

Backfill with native soil, firm it around the roots, and water thoroughly after planting.

Managing Pests and Disease

Quaking aspen has very thin bark, and as a result it is plagued by a number of pests and diseases.

Herbivores

Numerous animals will browse quaking aspen including elk, moose, deer, and rabbits. Protect young trees within a cage of chicken wire until they exceed six feet tall.

Pests

As a native North American tree, there are numerous insects that depend on quaking aspen for food. Below are just a few that are quite common, and can actually damage your tree.

Aspen Leaf Miner

About a quarter of an inch long, the aspen leaf miner (Phyllocnistis populiella) is a teeny, tiny, mottled brown and white moth that can create quite a problem for a thriving stand of quaking aspen.

In early spring, adults lay eggs on newly emerged leaves. The minuscule larvae, which are almost too small to see with the naked eye, tunnel into the leaf’s tissues, creating translucent, serpentine galleries.

In severe infestations, large-scale feeding can induce premature leaf drop. Even in bad years, this rarely results in serious damage.

You don’t need to do anything if you find signs that this moth has visited your quaking aspen.

As with other pests, making sure your tree is well watered and in otherwise good health will help prevent damaging infestations from gaining a foothold.

Oystershell Scale

Oystershell scale (Lepidosaphes ulmi), which really does look like an oyster shell adhered to a twig, is one of the biggest threats facing quaking aspen in the western United States.

The females grow to approximately an eighth of an inch long, are brownish gray in color, and incredibly well camouflaged.

Sucking the fluids from young twigs, this insect causes limb die back, and, in heavy infestations, death of the tree.

As an invasive species, the oystershell scale has escaped most of its natural enemies. In the United States there are no known organisms that predate this destructive pest.

Poplar Borer

A type of longhorn beetle, the poplar borer (Saperda calcarata) is about an inch long, grayish blue in color, with little brown dots along its wing case.

Notably, its antennae are long, almost as long as the rest of its body. The larvae, which emerge in late summer, are yellowish white, about an inch long, and are equipped with gnawing mouthparts.

Adult beetles feed on the foliage and the females chew slits in the bark and deposit their eggs, which hatch a couple of weeks later.

Newly hatched larvae mine into the tree’s sapwood creating large galleries, or tunnels, which can girdle and kill young trees by restricting nutrient transport.

Disease

Quaking aspen has a number of diseases that can affect its growth and vigor, too. Read on to learn about the most common.

Cytospora Canker

Cystospora canker is caused by the meddlesome fungus, Valsa sordida. Symptoms include bright orange spots on the bark and sunken, misshapen patches along twigs and branches.

Infected trees may shed bark, or experience twig and branch dieback.

This disease can kill large stands of quaking aspen, but typically, it only weakens trees that have already suffered another type of damage such as transplant shock, or severe heat or drought.

Entering through a wound in the bark, the pathogen slowly grows into living tissue, sometimes girdling small branches in the process.

To remove the canker, you can use a pair of sharp pruners thoroughly cleaned with rubbing alcohol.

Cut the damaged twigs a few inches below the cankers and clean your pruners after each cut.

Only prune your tree in dry weather to help minimize the spread of spores. Burn all diseased plant material to kill the fungus.

Shoestring Root Disease

Amillaria is a genus of fungi that’s found around the world and affects many different tree species. Quaking aspen is particularly susceptible.

When infected, you may notice yellowing leaves and honey colored mushrooms at the base of the trunk. Unfortunately, this disease often kills its host plants by causing the roots to rot.

White Trunk Rot

The fruiting body of the damaging fungus, Phellinus tremulae, is a hard, woody, shelf mushroom. This is probably the only early sign that your tree has been infected.

As the fungus spreads internally, areas of decaying, soft, spongy wood may become evident.

After approximately five years within its host tree, this fungus begins to spread out and produce mushrooms, also known as conks.

Trees exposed to plenty of sun and adequate moisture resist this pathogen better than those found growing on dry, poor soils.

Eventually, quaking aspen may succumb to white trunk rot as there is no known cure.

However, all is not lost. The hollow cavities and holes this fungus produces are important nesting sites for birds and small mammals, and rotting wood provides a plethora of food for insects which are prey for a variety of woodpeckers.

Plucky Pioneer

Quaking aspen may not be a first choice as a specimen tree, but the beauty of this species growing en masse is virtually unparalleled.

What’s more, this is a tree with true four season interest. The pale bark is gorgeous in winter, its canopy of twirling leaves delightful through spring and summer, and in fall, the pure, rich, yellow foliage is unmatched.

Are you growing quaking aspen or have you admired them growing wild? Let us know in the comments section below!

And to learn more about other North American native trees, check out these guides next: