The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.

Common Name: American Aspen

General Information

Populus tremuloides is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 20.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

N. America - Alaska to Newfoundland, south to Mexico.

Habitat

A pioneer species of old fields, logged or burnt land, it is found in a range of soils from shallow, rocky or clay soils to rich sandy ones. It grows best in rich porous soils with plenty of lime[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

An easily grown plant, it does well in a heavy cold damp soil[]. Prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain[, ]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[]. This species is often found on dry soils in its native habitat and could possibly succeed on dry soils in cultivation[]. Unlike most members of the genus, this species is drought tolerant once it is established[]. It is fairly wind tolerant, though it does not do well in exposed upland sites[]. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition[].
A fast-growing species that is quite short-lived, though occasional specimens live to almost 200 years[].
Poplars have very extensive and aggressive root systems that can invade and damage drainage systems. Especially when grown on clay soils, they should not be planted within 12 metres of buildings since the root system can damage the building's foundations by drying out the soil[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[].

Edible Uses

Inner bark - raw or cooked[]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a flour[, , , , ]. This is normally mixed with other flours for making bread etc and can also be used as a thickener in soups. It is best used in the spring[].
Sap - can be tapped and used as a drink[, , ]. It has also been used as a flavouring with wild strawberries[].
Catkins - raw or cooked. Bitter[].

Medicinal

American aspen has a long history of herbal use. It was widely employed medicinally by many native North American Indian tribes who valued it especially for its antiseptic and analgesic qualities, using it in the treatment of wounds, skin complaints and respiratory disorders[]. It is used for the same purposes in modern herbalism.
The stem bark is anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, nervine and stimulant[, , , , ]. The bark contains salicylates, from which the proprietary medicine aspirin is derived[]. It is used internally in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, lower back pains, urinary complaints, digestive and liver disorders, debility, anorexia, also to reduce fevers and relieve the pain of menstrual cramps[]. Externally, the bark is used to treat chilblains, haemorrhoids, infected wounds and sprains[]. The bark is harvested from side branches or coppiced trees and dried for later use[].
An infusion of the inner bark is considered to be a remedy for coughs[] and an appetite stimulant, it is also used in the treatment of stomach pains, urinary ailments, VD, worms, colds and fevers[].
The root is poulticed and applied to cuts and wounds[].
A tea from the root bark is used as a treatment for excessive menstrual bleeding[].
The leaf buds are used as a salve for colds, coughs and irritated nostrils[].

Other Uses

A fast-growing tree, it rapidly invades bare areas such as logged woodland and soon establishes dense stands of young trees by sending up suckers[, ]. It provides excellent conditions for other species of trees to become established and these will eventually out-compete the poplar[].
The bark has been used to make hats[]. The bark has sometimes been used for cordage[].
Wood - soft, light, weak, close-grained, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion[, , , , ]. It weighs 25lb per cubic foot[]. Not strong enough for furniture or construction, it is occasionally used for fences, railings and barn doors, is excellent for cheap crates and boxes and is widely used for pulp, producing a high quality paper[, , , , ].

Propagation

Seed - must be sown as soon as it is ripe in spring[]. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening[]. Surface sow or just lightly cover the seed in trays in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the cold frame. If sufficient growth is made, it might be possible to plant them out in late summer into their permanent positions, otherwise keep them in the cold frame until the following late spring and then plant them out. Most poplar species hybridize freely with each other, so the seed may not come true unless it is collected from the wild in areas with no other poplar species growing[].
Cuttings of mature wood in late autumn in a sheltered outdoor bed. This species is rather difficult from cuttings[], ].
Suckers in early spring[].
Root cuttings in the winter[].
Layering[].