Let the photo tell the story #5
- Setting: Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, USA
- Main Character: The Aspen Tree (Populus tremuloides)
- Plot: Aspen Groves are the original social networkers
The tree with the keen eye
Growing up in the northeast USA, I was more acquainted with the Birch Tree than I was with Aspens. My first time seeing them at Rocky Mountain National Park, I was enthralled by how stunning they are. The vibrant foliage, whether the lively green of the spring and summer or the bright yellow of the fall. And the almost luminous trunk with the eye-shaped scars left over from self-pruning. Whenever I hike in an aspen grove, I always feel as if I am being spied on by their watchful eyes. I imagine the ancient spirits of the forest are contained within the aspen trees. Nevertheless, I have found something special about the nature of the aspen tree. The more I have learned, the more enchanted I’ve become.
A record-breaking organism
Did you know that the Aspen Tree is the world’s largest living organism? When you walk through an aspen grove, known as a stand, each tree is connected to the others via a singular root system. That is because aspens reproduce asexually by sprouting offshoots from the roots. Thus, a single stand contains genetically identical trees, owing to the use of the word ‘clones’ in describing an aspen stand. Another way to look at that is when you are looking at an aspen stand, you are really looking at one tree with many offshoots. The next time you visit an aspen forest, look around and relish in the fact that you are essentially looking at a single organism.
Not only do they take the prize as the largest, but they are also one of the oldest living organisms. The oldest aspen clone, known as Pando, lives in Fishlake National Forest, Utah, USA. The process of estimating the age of aspen trees is still in its infancy. However, this study estimates Pando’s age to be between 16,000-80,000 years old! It’s difficult to wrap one’s mind around such a lifespan, but aspen trees have a knack for adaptability. Taking a closer look at Pando, that part of the USA endures wildfires during the dry, hot seasons. Unlike their coniferous competitors, aspen trees are adept at proliferating after a fire. Thus, post-fire season paves the way for aspen trees to recuperate with less resource competition.
Further reading for budding arborists
If you want to learn more about the remarkable aspen trees, I recommend some additional readings from the National Forest Foundation and the USDA Forest Service. There is also this incredibly in-depth resource by the Trans-Canadian Research and Environmental Education Program. May the next time you walk upon an aspen grove, you are marveled by the fact that you’re gazing upon a single tree- a single root network.
Happy Trails!
