Populus tremula - Aspen

The Trembling Poplar, also known as Populus tremula, is a large deciduous tree with very fast growth, a fastigiate, light and elegant habit. It is a tree that one listens to, its foliage vibrates (trembles) at the slightest breeze and reveals the silver underside of its leaves. These leaves change from bronze-red in spring, to dark green in summer, and finally yellow in autumn. It thrives in a preferably rich, moist, well-worked and well-drained soil, in a sunny position, and it is perfectly hardy. It is widely used in hedges and countryside hedges, and it is an ideal windbreak.

The Trembling Poplar belongs to the Salicaceae family like the Willow. Native to the Northern Hemisphere, it is an extremely hardy tree that can withstand very low temperatures, around -30°C (1°F). With a fastigiate to pyramidal habit, it has foliage that vibrates as soon as the breeze blows, hence its name "trembling". With vigorous growth, it develops deciduous leaves, rounded and dentate, 3 to 8 cm (1 to 3in) long, starting with bronze-red, then dark green, and finally turning yellow in autumn. It produces ament catkins, 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3in) long, reddish-gray for males and green for females. Its bark is smooth and greenish. It has a shallow, spreading and powerful root system that should not be planted near buildings, although the trembling poplar is slightly less spreading than other poplar species (Italian poplar, Balsam poplar).

The Populus tremula, very hardy, grows in any rich, moist or wet, well-worked and well-drained soil, in a sunny position. It can reach a height of 20 meters, so it should be reserved for large open spaces. It is preferably planted in autumn. The Trembling Poplar is an excellent large windbreak. It can be used as a solitary tree, a curtain, or in alignment.