Aspenlaub is famous for its trembling, which is immortalized in the appropriate saying. But why is that? The aspen leaves will probably not freeze… rather the texture and leaf shape are responsible for this.

The leaves of the aspen are delicate and light

The shape characteristics of the aspen leaf

The reason why the leaves of the aspen or aspens begin to tremble at the slightest breath of wind is for the following reason: on the one hand, they sit on very long stems, which are also flattened on the underside. This makes them extremely flexible and they react to the slightest air stimulus. The cellulose-rich aspen wood also contributes to the very flexible character of the crown.

In addition, the leaves, which are just as delicately structured and have a broad base, attach to these filigree stems. As a result, they offer the wind a comparatively large attack surface and constantly swing up and down.

The reasons for trembling again in brief:

  • Long stem, flattened at the bottom
  • Delicate, light leaf structure with a relatively broad base

One aspen, two leaf shapes

As with most Populus species, the aspen also shows an interesting phenomenon: two different leaf shapes develop on the same individual. On the one hand there are almost round leaves with a wavy lobed edge, on the other hand there are those in a clear, larger triangular shape with a rather full edge.

These different leaf types result from the fact that leaves form on the one hand from the winter buds of the long shoots and on the other hand on the short shoots. The long shoots have a normal to fast growth in length, the short shoots, on the other hand, a reduced one. Of course, this results in different basic requirements for sheet formation. The triangular leaves on the short shoots also have slightly shorter stalks than the round, wavy-edged long shoot leaves.

The aspen leaves attach opposite to each other on the branches. Its surface is smooth and has a fine, medium-green color. The undersides are slightly lighter.

The leaf bud shoots are yellowish to brown-red in color and retain this tint for the first time after budding.

Beautiful, golden yellow autumn colour

When the days get shorter, the aspen dresses in a wonderfully pure, golden-yellow foliage that gracefully underlines the character of the delicately structured crown. The golden-yellow color can shine particularly brightly in the autumn light. When the small leaves then gradually rain down from the crown, a decoratively mottled carpet of leaves forms on the ground.

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Trees