Do aspen trees share roots?
A group of aspen trees, known as an aspen stand, are often connected to a single root system.
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Yes.
A group of aspen trees, known as an aspen stand, are often connected to a single root system.
The trees spread underground with new trunks growing up from the same root system. Aspen groves are referred to as clones since the trees share many of the same genetics.
The root systems of aspens can be hundreds or even thousands of years old even though their trunks may only last 100 years. According to the U.S. Forest Service, one root system in Utah was found to be 80,000 years old.
Shared roots make aspens resilient. Trunks burned down or felled by disease quickly grow back. The trees are fast growers, and softer than many other hardwoods. They are a favorite of woodpeckers and a staple for elk, moose, deer and beaver.
Quaking aspens, the most common species, are found in the Midwest, Canada, Alaska and many Western states.
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