The name “Aspen” comes from the Greek word “Aspis,” meaning shield. Aspen wood was also once used to make shields.
Did you know, the world’s largest living organism is an aspen tree named “Pando.”
Aspen trees reproduce through a process called regenerative cloning where new trees sprout from a single extensive root system. This means that an entire grove of aspen trees is actually a single organism all connected underground by a shared root system. All of the trees in a grove are synced up which means that their leaves will start changing color at the same time.
Pando is a single aspen organism spanning over 100 acres, has around 50,000 trees, weighs around 13 million pounds, and dates back to the last ice age
One of the most famous examples is a clonal colony called “Pando” in Utah, which spans over 100 acres, contains around 50,000 individual trees, estimated to weigh around 13 million pounds, and is thousands of years old. Pando dates back to the last ice age about 8,000 to 12,000 years ago.
Aspen trees are one of Earth’s longest-living organisms
Aspen trees are one of Earth’s longest-living organisms. Individual aspen trees may live for a century while the root system may live for thousands of years.
A historic arborglyph carved into a Colorado aspen was discovered and translated, it said “Couldn’t pay me $1 million to come back here”
A historic arborglyph carved into an aspen was discovered and translated, it said “Couldn’t pay me $1 million to come back here.” An arborglyph is a carving on a tree. The creator was likely a Basque sheepherder from Colorado’s early days. There are likely thousands of arborglyphs from that time. It is illegal to carve into aspen trees in national forests.
Aspen Tree Folklore
In the Scottish Highlands, the aspen tree is thought to offer protection against psychic and physical harm.
Planting an aspen tree near your home is also meant to offer protection.
In Scottish folklore, a traditional gift from the Faerie Queen was an aspen leaf placed beneath the tongue which was believed to bring eloquence.
According to Christian beliefs, the quaking aspen trembles in shame for supplying the wood for the Crucifixion Cross.
