Plant Type

Tree, Shrub

 

Height Range

12-25'

 

Flower Color

White

 

Flower Season

Spring

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

Grey

 

Fruit Color

Blue, Purple

 

Fruit Season

Summer

Sun

Full, Half, Shade

 

Water

Low, Medium

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

Attracts Bees

Design Styles

Formal, Meadow, Ranch, Native Garden, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Fall Color, Multi-trunk Tree, Showy Flowers, Specimen

 

Seasonal Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Entry, Shrub Border, Foundation, Patio, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Screen, Mass Planting, Shade Tree, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

Birds, Butterflies

A hybrid between A. arborea and A. laevis, the new leaves of this species have the pubescent foliage of the former and the purplish cast of the later. Summer foliage is a soft green, turning orange to scarlet in the fall. This hybrid has larger and showier flowers then either parent. Numerous cultivars have been selected from this species, including 'Princess Diana,' 'Prince William,' and 'Cole's Select.' Generally 18 to 25 feet tall and about half as wide. Grown as both a single or multi-stemmed small tree or shrub. Lovely as a specimen or in masses.

Grow in sun to part shade; ideally with a south, west, or east exposure. Grows in well-drained soil and perfers those with some organic matter. Tolerates alkaline soils to 7.5 pH. Root suckers are common and if not removed, will result in a dense, shrubby habit, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds. If you are longing for aspens, this tree will give you the look without the horrifying forest of suckers and all those diseases.