Poplulus Tremuloides
Scott, thanks for sharing a little info on Aspen, yes a clearcut is the most important thing that you can do for your aspen population, without that full sunlight the roots wont sprout and the young trees wont survive.
Populus Tremuloides is the scientific name of the quaking aspen, There are several other species of aspen including those found in Japan, China, Eurasia as well as the Bigtooth aspen found in eastern North America and south of the quaking aspen.
Quaking Aspen are native to areas with cold winters and cool summers in the northern areas of the northern hemisphere and they are among the largest living organisms in the world as well as some of the oldest.
These aspens typically grow in large clonal colonies, meaning each new aspen chute is effectively a clone of all the others in the colony all coming off the same root system. Each individual aspen within the colony may live for 40-150 years but the root system itself can be tens of thousands of years old. As the older mature trees die off they are replaced by new young trees and the cycle continues.
One such colony in northern Utah is known as Pando and is estimated to be 80,000 years old. It is however a dying colony with few new young trees replacing the older mature trees that are dying at an increasing rate from a combination of drought, insects and disease. Wildlife, livestock and campers have contributed to the lack of younger trees replacing the older dying trees.
The US Forest Service is looking at ways to stimulate new tree growth including fencing off an area of the organism and clear cutting the trees, giving the new aspen room to grow and the several years needed to get their start without disturbance from wildlife. Cutting the mature trees down to the ground also causes a chemical reaction in the trees itself causing new sprouts to grow in the surrounding area. Hopefully this amazing colony will still be with us for thousands of years to come.
In the fall the aspen leaves turn a golden shade of yellow in contrast to the bright red of the maple trees and the orange of the scrub oak in the area, the two other major species of deciduous trees found in Park City. It is really a sight to behold come September and October.
I am a Realtor specializing in the Park City and Deer Valley areas of Northern Utah where these beautiful Populus Tremuloides can be found in abundance.
Scott Larson
Keller Williams Park City Real Estate
435-513-2324
scottl.parkcity@gmail.com
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