Aspen are deciduous trees, related to willows and poplars. They have round or heart-shaped leaves with long, vertically flattened stems which cause the leaves to tremble in even the slightest breeze, giving rise to the tree's common name "Quaking Aspen".

Aspen trees grow rather quickly in middle to high elevation environments. Stands, or forests, of aspen trees have a strong, well-established root system that make the trees very hearty and among the first species to regrow after forest fires.

Many parts of the aspen tree were valued by Native Americans for curative properties and the chief ingredient in aspirin is found in aspen bark.