Aspen

Aspen grows in Northern and Western regions of North America. It ranges in color from paper white to a light grey-brown with no distinction between heartwood and sapwood. The lumber is light in weight, soft and weak. Aspen is a relatively small, fast growing tree. Widths tend to run narrow.

It is used in veneer, pulpwood and core stock. Some applications allow Aspen to be used as a substitute for Basswood or Yellow Poplar. However, Aspen is less stable and sometimes tends to "fuzz". This trait can often be overcome by drying the lumber to the lower end of the normal 6%-8% M.C. range and by honing cutting tools to their sharpest.

Common names include Popple, Bigtooth Aspen, Trembling or Quaking Aspen, & Northern Aspen.