Interesting about Aspen

Aspens are known for their fluttering leaves. Their leaf stalks are long, weak, and flattened. They allow the leaves to move in even the slightest breeze.
Aspens belong to poplars, which are closely related to willow trees. There are three species of aspen. The European aspen grows in Europe, northern Africa, and Asia. The trembling aspen and the big-tooth aspen are found in North America.
Its bark is usually smooth and greenish gray or white. The leaves are rich green and in autumn they turn bright yellow before they fall off the tree.

The aspen can reach a height of 27 meters.
It can reproduce both by producing seeds and by growing new sprouts. A single aspen can produce more than 50 million seeds each season.
People use aspens to make paper. The bark is used for tanning the leather. Wood is used to build houses, produce cellulose, plywood, matches and so on.

Amazing aspen

Aspens live up to 80-90, rarely up to 150 years. It grows very quickly, but at the same time it suffers from wood diseases. Old, large and healthy individuals are rare.
The legend says that witches are afraid of aspen. There is an ancient belief that aspen is an excellent weapon against vampires and werewolves. It is believed that an aspen stake, pierced in the heart of a vampire, can stop it.
About the frightened person it is said that he trembles like an aspen leaf. The Latin name of aspen is a populous tremula, which literally means “trembling man”.
In the Netherlands wooden shoes were made mainly from aspen.
Christian religion considers aspen a “cursed tree”. In the myths of ancient Greece, aspen grew in the afterlife.

Aspen leaves

Aspen bark contains a huge amount of useful substances: antibiotics, tannins, glycerin, ethers and others. That is why ointments, medicines, decoctions and even kvass are made from the bark. Aspen is the source of such elements as copper, iron, zinc, nickel. These substances are necessary for a person to strengthen immunity.
Decoction has an analgesic effect and helps with burns, eczema and other damages of the skin. It is also used to restore the nervous system.
Aspen bark is a favorite food for rabbits and moose.