Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood)
Populus tremuloides
Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) (Populus tremuloides) is a Colorado-native tree suited to the Colorado Front Range, rated "Trees With Potential" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List. It matures to about 20 to 50 ft tall and 10 to 30 ft wide, fast-growing, needs medium water, and prefers full sun. Aspen struggles below ~7,500 ft on the plains, heat stress, sunscald, Cytospora canker, and borers (oystershell scale, poplar borer) cause decline. It's a montane native; performs poorly as a single landscape specimen at lower elevations.
Colorado nativemedium water20 to 50 ft tall and 10 to 30 ft wide
Photos
- Photo 1: (c) Ed Alverson, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 2: (c) Ed Alverson, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 3: (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman
At a glance
Will it survive here?
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1 to 6
- Water needs
- medium water
- Sun
- Best in full sun.
- Soil
- clay, loam, sandy
- Soil pH
- 6.0 to 8.2
- Hail tolerance
- low
- Wind tolerance
- low
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Tolerates
- Slopes & erosion control
How big, what shape?
- Mature size
- 20 to 50 ft tall and 10 to 30 ft wide
- Mature form
- Oval / upright
- Spacing / clearance
- ~30 ft of clearance
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Lifespan
- Short-lived
What it looks like, and when
- Fall color
- Gold, yellow
- Foliage
- Deciduous
Who else benefits
- Pollinator value
- low
- Deer
- Deer often browse this
- Colorado native
- Yes
- Native ecoregion
- montane
Also worth knowing
- Fire rating
- Not rated
Site factors to consider
- Critical: Cold HardinessAspen is a mountain native; down on the plains it is heat, sunscald, and borers that hurt it, not winter cold, so this is an elevation mismatch.
- Watch: Short LivedFast but not forever; this one runs short lived here, so enjoy it and plan a successor rather than treating it as a legacy tree.
- Watch: SuckersIt throws up shoots from the roots and base, so plan on cutting suckers to keep it from turning into a thicket.
Common problems on the Front Range
- Cytospora canker
- Poplar and aspen borers
- Leaf spot and rust in wet springs
These are general tendencies for this group of plants on the Front Range, not a diagnosis. Many are stress-driven and preventable with good siting and watering. For a specific plant or an active problem, consult a certified arborist or your local CSU Extension office.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) is a well-suited tree for Colorado's Front Range, rated "Trees With Potential" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List.
- How big does Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) get?
- It matures to about 20 to 50 ft tall and 10 to 30 ft wide.
- How much room does Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) need?
- Give Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) about 30 ft of clearance from buildings, fences, and other trees so the mature canopy isn't crowded.
- What shape does Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) grow into?
- Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) typically grows into an upright-oval crown, taller than it is wide. This is the species' usual mature form, named cultivars (columnar, weeping, or compact selections) can differ, so check the specific cultivar.
- Is Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) hardy on the Front Range?
- Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) is hardy in USDA 1 to 6. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b to 6a, so it is well within range. That said, it carries a cold-hardiness caution: Aspen is a mountain native; down on the plains it is heat, sunscald, and borers that hurt it, not winter cold, so this is an elevation mismatch.
- How much water does Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) need?
- It needs medium water once established.
- How fast does Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) grow?
- Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) is a fast-growing tree. Growth rate depends on water and site conditions on the Front Range.
- How long does Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) live?
- Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) is relatively short-lived for a tree, so plan to replace it sooner than a long-lived shade tree. Actual lifespan varies with site, water, and care.
- What color does Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) turn in fall?
- Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) turns gold and yellow in autumn. Fall color intensity varies with the season and site on the Front Range.
- Is Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) native to Colorado?
- Yes. It is a Colorado native.
- Is Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) deer-resistant?
- No. Deer often browse Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood), so plan on protecting it where deer roam.
- Is Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) prone to pests or disease on the Front Range?
- Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) can be affected by cytospora canker and other issues common to this group on the Front Range. These are general tendencies, not a diagnosis, many are stress-driven and preventable with good siting and watering. For a specific plant or an active problem, consult a certified arborist or CSU Extension.
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