Populus tremuloides - Quaking Aspen

I was a bit surprised to see a Quaking Aspen here in Santa Cruz. Also a bit disappointed, they are adapted to growing from one plant into hundreds. Pando, is a grove of Quaking Aspen in Utah that is considered to be one of the largest organisms on earth. The grove is one clone, connected to 47,000 trees by roots (suckering) and covers over 100 acres and is considered to be over 1000 years old. Think what it can and will do in your yard.

They are medium sized trees, 20-50' with an upright narrowish crown. Where there is one…..

Having seen many planting of Quaking Aspen in Spokane, I quickly came to the conclusion that this is a beautiful tree in the fall or windy, with rustling foliage They are very short lived. Luckily (?), but when one dies hundreds show up.

Leaves are alternate, simple, ovate to triangular, slightly crenated margins, dark green in summer, turning a beautiful gold in fall. Like many poplars, they have a flattened petiole, which causes the leaf to flutter or quake in any light breeze. (The doctrine of signatures suggested that this plant was the cure to shaking palsy.)

Trees are dioecious, male and female plants. Males in long catkins.

Stems are smooth, with a large terminal bud.

And the bark is one of the reasons people like it. Silver, smooth with dark branch collars.

And best of all is the fall color. Bright yellow to yellowish orange.

Misidentification:
Other poplars, perhaps. You are not likely to encounter P. tremula in SC but if you are reading this from colder climates you might encounter a columnar form.

Location:
Capitola 

301 Fanmar. Pretty sad looking specimen.