Bill has been working on Phase 3 of our Japanese garden. I bought an array of Japanese maples, a loblolly pine (a reminder of Mississippi), an unusual pine and a hemlock.

I noticed a special tree on my drives back and forth. It had a white bark, lime green leaves, and oh my, was it beautiful! I needed to identify it, as it seemed to be a birch, but all the birches I have seen are rough, gray and not white at all. I contacted a naturalist, but no response. Then Bill found it! It is an aspen (Populus tremuloides), also called Popple.

I remember riding on a dirt road outside of Jackson, Wyoming, and coming up a hill. On either side of the road, all the way to the road, were these incredible trees — aspens! Ever since I have been in love with them!

Although Disney told us aspens only grow in the Rockies in the beaver pond adventure, they can grow all over — even in Ohio! A tree begins with a single seed, and it develops an extensive root system. This root system gives rise to suckers — called clones, as every subsequent tree is identical to the mother. These clone mats can spread for acres. Indeed, one 100-acre clonal stand near Fish Lake, Utah, called Pando, is said to be the largest living organism.

Aspens like high (6,500 to 11,000 feet) altitude, in dry elevations, grasslands and poorly drained meadows. Its white bark has green underneath that photosynthesizes year-round. The white smooth bark has “eyes,” where the branches develop and break off. It is a favorite browse for deer, rabbits, moose, elks and many other winter-feeding animals.

In northern Ohio, a band of aspens lives. It is in the poplar family, and it can grow up to 50 feet tall and 25 feet wide (one tree). They grow in disturbed soil, in zones one through six. They love full sun to part shade, though total shade will kill them. The leaves emerge light green and mature to lime green. They are round and toothed, and extend from a petiole that is able to let the leaves flutter around in the wind, thus the term “quaking aspens.”

The flowers are catkins that are a favorite food of birds and early pollinators in the spring. Many pests and pathogens are attracted to aspens — too many to list — and it is a short-lived tree. The clonal mass continues with suckers.

I am still deciding if I want to plant one. The beauty far outweighs the future infirmities for me. I think I have my

answer!

Hughes is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.