| 18th | Hardwoods_( |
| Populus sect. Populus | |
|---|---|
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| Snowbowl Aspens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Salicaceae |
| Genus: | Populus |
| Section: | Populus sect. Populus |
| Species | |
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Populus adenopoda |
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Aspen is a common name for Tree of the Salicaceae family, most of those in a section, Populus sect. Populus, of the Populus (poplar) genus. Some of the species in the section are:
There are other species.[1]
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Aspens, apart from the aberrant White Poplar, are distinguished by their nearly round Leaf on mature trees, 4-12 cm in diameter with irregular rounded teeth. They are carried on strongly flattened leaf stems, that cause the leaves to twist and flutter in slight breezes. The juvenile leaves on young seedlings and root sprouts differ markedly from the adult leaves, being nearly triangular, showing here the typical leaf shape of most other poplars; they are also often much larger, 10–20 cm long. The five typical aspens are distinguished from each other by leaf size and the size and spacing of the teeth on the adult leaves. White Poplar leaves differ in being deeply five-lobed, covered in thick white down, and having only a slightly flattened leaf stem.
The unusual ability of the leaves of Populus to twist and bend due to the flattened petioles may not be fully understood. It is thought to help protect the trees from severe winds, perhaps by helping dissipate energy more uniformly throughout the canopy.[2] It is also thought to improve the rate of photosynthesis throughout the tree by reducing the exposure of the outer leaves to extreme sunlight (thus reducing photoinhibition) by presenting the leaves at an oblique angle to the sun throughout the day, while at the same time allowing more light through to the lower leaves which are generally over-shaded. This would enable leaves throughout the tree to photosynthesize more efficiently.[3] Another theory that has been advanced is that the constant motion aids the tree's growth: the constant movement is thought to increase the intake of air by the leaves, and hence the rate of carbon fixation from the air's carbon dioxide.[4]
The Quaking Aspen of North America is known for its leaves turning spectacular tints of red and yellow in the autumn, popular among tourists.[5] While best noted in Colorado, Quaking Aspens are found as far south as the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, the Peninsula Ranges of Baja California, and in the Sierra Madre of central Mexico.
The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by contrast, is native to warmer regions, with hot, dry summers. These trees are all medium-sized deciduous trees ranging 15–30 metres tall.
All of the aspens (including the White Poplar) typically grow in large clonal colonies derived from a single seedling, and spreading by means of root suckers; new stems in the colony may appear at up to 30–40 metres from the parent tree. Each individual tree can live for 40–150 years above ground, but the root system of the colony is long-lived. In some cases, this is for thousands of years, sending up new trunks as the older trunks die off above ground. For this reason it is considered to be an indicator of ancient woodlands. One such colony in Utah, given the nickname of "Pando", is claimed to be 80,000 years old, making it possibly the oldest living colony of aspens. Some aspen colonies become very large with time, spreading about a metre per year, eventually covering many hectares. They are able to survive forest fires, since the roots are below the heat of the fire, with new sprouts growing after the fire burns out.
However, aspens do not thrive very well in the shade, and it is difficult for aspen seedlings to grow in an already mature aspen stand. Fire indirectly benefits aspen trees, since it allows the saplings to flourish in open sunlight in the burned landscape. Lately, aspens have an increased popularity in forestry, mostly because of their fast growth rate and ability to regenerate from sprouts, making the reforestation after harvesting much cheaper, since no planting or sowing is required.
In contrast with many trees, aspen bark is base-rich, meaning that aspens are important hosts for bryophytes[6] and act as food plants for the larvae of butterfly (Lepidoptera) species—see List of Lepidoptera that feed on poplars.
Aspen wood is white and soft, but fairly strong, and has low flammability. It has a number of uses, notably for making matches, where its low flammability makes it safer to use than most other woods. Shredded aspen wood is used for packing and stuffing, sometimes called excelsior (wood wool). It is also a popular animal bedding, since it lacks the phenols associated with pine and juniper, which are thought to cause respiratory system ailments in some animals. Heat-treated aspen is a popular material for the interiors of a sauna.
Aspens and other members of the Populus genus contain salicylates, compounds related to aspirin.[citation needed] Leaves and leaf buds of aspens have been used to treat burns, irritations, aches, and swollen joints. Bitter herbal tea from bark and leaves has been used to treat mild urinary tract inflammations. The Ojibwe used the inner bark of the trunk as a poultice, and the Cree ate the inner bark in the spring as a mild purgative.[citation needed]
 P. tremula (Eurasian Aspen) leaves; adult leaves and shoot left, juvenile leaf right |
 P. tremuloides (Quaking Aspen) in New Mexico with fall foliage |
 P. tremuloides (Quaking Aspen) with fall foliage, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada |
 P. tremuloides (Quaking Aspen), La Sal Mountains |
 P. tremuloides (Quaking Aspen), Little Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake County, Utah |
 P. tremuloides (Quaking Aspen), Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex |
 P. tremuloides (Quaking Aspen), Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex |
 P. grandidentata (Bigtooth Aspen) in Massachusetts |
 Video of a Quaking Aspen in a light breeze (estimated at 5mph) demonstrating the extreme leaf flutter that gives the species its name |
 Aspens in central Utah]] |
Aspen [1] is a ski resort in the state of Colorado in the Rocky Mountains region of the United States of America. Its little sister is Snowmass Village, which is about 10 miles from downtown Aspen.
The drive to Aspen is about 4 hours from Denver. There are two major routes from Denver - through Glenwood Springs or through Independence Pass. Independence Pass is only open in the summer months, but provides spectacular views and can be a bit faster than the longer route through Glenwood. To take this route, travel south from Copper Mountain exit off I70 through Leadville.
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Altitude Sickness For those prone to altitude sickness, it is recommended that you fly into Denver and spend a day or so getting used to being mile-high and then driving the next 3,500 or so feet up. |
Most major car-rental firms are located in Denver and Aspen airports.
Scheduled and chartered services are available from Denver International Airport and Eagle County Regional Airport:
Free buses operate within the cities of Aspen and Snowmass Village and many hotels have free shuttle service to and from the airport.
It's all about getting around on skis in the winter and mountain bikes or your own two feet in the summer!
Winter
Summer
Music
Golf
Downtown Aspen has a plethora of shops for every price budget. The downtown area also has two pedestrian-only streets lined with t-shirt and souvenir shops. Of course, Aspen is a great place to buy ski equipment and clothing with an abundance of ski shops and stores. The city also has an open air market in the summer months.
Snowmass Village also has its own shopping precinct, fitted with numerous candy shops, souvenir shops and ski shops.
There are many places in Aspen Snowmass where you can rent all types of equipment including skis and snowboards in the winter and bikes in the summer.
Just a few stores that specialize in equipment rentals:
At some places, you can also book your ski or snowboard rentals online which may save money and time.
Glenwood Springs - Home to a quaint, historic downtown and the largest hotspring pool in the USA.
Denver - A 4 hour drive, Denver is Colorado's capital and largest city. Denver boasts historic buildings and modernistic skyscrapers, abundant shopping and incredible dining. Located where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, Denver has some of the best views a city can have. It is also home to one of the last downtown amusement parks, Elitch Gardens.
Colorado is home to over 70 wineries and its own indigenous vineyards. Wine lovers can enjoy several scenic day trips from Aspen to many of the small towns that are a part of Colorado's Wine Country. These lovely little communities include Montrose, Palisade, Paonia and Hotchkiss, as well as the city of Grand Junction.
| This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow! |
Category: Usable articles
ASPEN, an important section of the poplar genus (Populus) of which the common aspen of Europe, P. tremula, may be taken as the type, - a tall fast-growing tree with rather slender trunk, and grey bark becoming rugged when old. The roundish leaves, toothed on the margin, are slightly downy when young, but afterwards smooth, dark green on the upper and greyish green on the lower surface; the long slender petioles, much flattened towards the outer end, allow of free lateral motion by the lightest breeze, giving the foliage its well-known tremulous character. By their friction on each other the leaves give rise to a rustling sound. It is supposed that the mulberry trees (Becaim) mentioned in Chronicles xiv. 14, 15 were really aspen trees. The flowers, which appear in March and April, are borne on pendulous hairy catkins, 2 -3 in. long; male and female catkins are, as in the other species of the genus, on distinct trees.
The aspen is found in moist places, sometimes at a considerable elevation, 1600 ft. or more, in Scotland. It is an abundant tree in the northern parts of Britain, even as far as Sutherland, and is occasionally found in the coppices of the southern counties, but in these latter habitats seldom reaches any large size; throughout northern Europe it abounds in the forests, - in Lapland flourishing even in 70 0 N. lat., while in Siberia its range extends to the Arctic Circle; in Norway its upper limit is said to coincide with that of the pine; trees exist near the western coast having stems 15 ft. in circumference. The wood of the aspen is very light and soft, though tough; it is employed by coopers, chiefly for pails and herring-casks; it is also made into butchers' trays, pack-saddles, and various articles for which its lightness recommends it; sabots are also made of it in France, and in medieval days it was valued for arrows, especially for those used in target practice; the bark is used for tanning in northern countries; cattle and deer browse greedily on the young shoots and abundant suckers. Aspen wood makes but indifferent fuel, but charcoal prepared from it is light and friable, and has been employed in gunpowder manufacture. The powdered bark is sometimes given to horses as a vermifuge; it possesses likewise tonic and febrifugal properties, containing a considerable amount of salicin. The aspen is readily propagated either by cuttings or suckers, but has been but little planted of late years in Britain. P. trepida, or tremuloides, is closely allied to the European aspen, being chiefly distinguished by its more pointed leaves; it is a native of most parts of Canada and the United States, extending northwards as far as Great Slave Lake. The wood is soft and neither strong nor durable; it burns better in the green state than that of most trees, and is often used by the hunters of the North-West as fuel; split into thin layers, it was formerly employed in the United States for bonnet and hat making. It is largely manufactured into wood-pulp for paper-making. The bark is of some value as a tonic and febrifuge. P. grandidentata, the large-leaved American aspen, has ovate or roundish leaves deeply and irregularly serrated on the margin. The wood is light, soft and close-grained, but not strong. In northern New England and Canada it is largely manufactured into wood-pulp; it is occasionally used in turnery and for wooden-ware.
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   | Aspen Information Resource, U.K. - Trees for Life - Aspen information resource |
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