Aspens or Poplars?

[Technetium]

According to Wikipedia, there are two related species that have overlapping ranges in New England.
Populus tremuloides is the Quaking Aspen, the same species known to blanket mid-elevation mountain slopes in the west and turn into large fields of golden color this time of year. I was not aware, but apparently the range covers New England as well.
Populus grandidentata is a different species of poplar (I believe it is the one that you would tend to refer to as simply "poplar"). I suspect this is the kind that used to grow in the backyard at my parents' house in central Massachusetts. It was kind of a junk tree that with the branches constantly dying and it had no ability at all to stand up to wind or heavy snow storms. These trees were always coming down.

I'm just wondering because all this time I had thought that the aspen trees known for out west were only out west. When I was up in NH the past weekend looking for foliage to photograph, I noticed that the color on what I thought were poplar trees seemed pretty vivid, and I actually said to my brother "I bet I could pass these off as Aspens and nobody would question it." These trees were in the area around NH-2 that runs just north of the Presidential Range, as well as the stretch of highway that connects the northern ends of Franconia Notch and Crawford Notch.

So were these aspens in the same sense as the ones out west, or the same old poplar trees?

 

[Puck]

My guess they are the quaking aspen that you mentioned...same that grows out west. I can only tell the difference between the bigtooth aspen and the quaking by its leaves...so I am no help in the winter.

Cottonwoods are also in this family but the bark is dark and rough.

Did you notice catkins on these trees? A large amount will be good for the grouse and may bring redpoles and siskins to the area.

 

[audrey]

The Quaking aspen (P.tremuloides) is distributed across the U.S. and Canada. Yes, that's one that gives such vivid yellows. It is more often found in the west in pure stands, not mixed with other trees/

The bigtooth (P.grandidentata) is limited to the northern tier of states to the east. The first time I saw them was in Acadia. Their color is just as vivid yellow as the quaking aspens.

There are many more "poplars" in the U.S., some imported from Asia and Europe. Many of them, including the two above, share the characterisatic of being short-lived, and with their weak wood might be considered "junk" trees.

The white poplar (P. alba) can be a nuisance because it spreads by runners from the roots.

 

[cooperhill]

Populus grandidentata is the Big - Toothed Aspen. Not sure how common in New England but I do see them in my travels for trailwork. Usually the trees are older. They are easily identified by their leaves.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=pogr4_002_ahp.tif

I believe the most common "poplar" tree out here is Populus deltoides (Eastern Cottonwood, Eastern poplar).

http://plants.usda.gov/gallery/pubs/pode3_002_pvp.jpg

 

[cushetunk]

Right, there are several species of Populus here in New England. Both quaking aspen (P. tremuloides) and big-tooth aspen (P. grandidentata) are relatively common, early-successional species that grow in disturbed areas.

Pretty sure that traditionally most people wouldn't bother distinguishing the two species -- both are "popples" locally. But quaking aspen is the same, here and Colorado.

Cottonwood (P. deltoides) is more of a floodplain species, and generally found more to the south than in northern New England.

Balsam poplar (P. balsamifera) is also a floodplain species found in northern New England.

 

[Early Bird]

I love quaking aspens! Both (quaking and big-tooth) are around in NH. I'm not sure of the area you saw on NH-2 though. These are pioneer trees, the first to regenerate an area after fire, logging, or when a field is abandoned. They are sun lovers. These trees live fast and die young. 80 is old for an aspen. In the west they propagate by root sprouts which is why you get those extensive pure stands. Here they do spread by lateral root sprouts but also produce tiny cottony seeds scattered by wind. One tip I read about in my Eastern Forest field guide to winter identification is that the quaking aspen bark is whitish, while the big-tooth is greenish.

 

[DSettahr]

The virginia tech dendrology fact sheets on Quaking and Bigtooth Aspens may be of some interest to you:

Quaking Aspen: http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=160

Bigtooth Aspen: http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=65

In general, Quaking Aspen has a much wider range and is native to areas all across northern North America, including the east coast as well as the west. In contrast, Bigtooth Aspen is native only to the northeast.

In certain growing conditions (most noticeably shady areas), Quaking Aspen leaves can become quite large and look like Bigtooth Aspen leaves. The best way to tell the difference for sure is to look at the buds- Quaking Aspen buds are appressed, which means they are held against the twigs. Bigtooth Aspen buds are typically divergent, which means they stick out and away from the twigs.

 

[GBKDalton]

So which type do you think grows on Poplar Ridge on the Maine AT north of Saddleback? I know that they grew there after a fire.

 

[DSettahr]

So which type do you think grows on Poplar Ridge on the Maine AT north of Saddleback? I know that they grew there after a fire.

It could be either/or (or even both). Both are considered pioneer species, and will colonize a site after a fire. On an upland site on top of a ridge, Bigtooth Aspen has a slight advantage over Quaking Aspen, but it's not a huge one.