The quaking aspen is a deciduous tree native to North America. Quaking aspens actually occupy more land than any other type in the states of Wisconsin, Utah, and Minnesota. It is listed as a dominant species in more than 100 habitats and plant communities.
In the east, quaking aspen is one of the most popular timber trees. It's used for particleboard, strandboard, waferboard, and pulp. Quaking aspen is also used for making furniture, crates, boxes, and pallets. Its wood is soft, light, and straight-grained. It holds paint and glue rather well and is easily sanded. However, it is not a particularly strong wood and has very little shock resistance. It tends to warp when it is processed but saw-dry-rip processing can curtail this. It's also sometimes used for specialty products such as tongue depressors, matchsticks, and excelsiors.
The quaking aspen is a small to medium-sized tree that is typically less than 48 feet in height. Its branches generally spread in a pryamid or crown shape. It has very thin bark and orb shaped leaves. The quaking aspen has a relatively shallow root system although the lateral roots tend to be very widespread with vertical sinker roots hanging down. The quaking aspen does not respond well to shade or long-term flooding, or overly moist soil. Quaking aspen that are exposed to prolonged flooding tend to fungus infection that ultimately renders its wood commercially useless. In quaking aspen, sprouting is generally hormonally controlled.