with …

bark=smooth white, black marks;  buds and twigs have white powdered, easily rubbed off
◼︎ white poplar  Populus alba

tree=very tall thin, many small branches
🇪🇺 ◼︎ European black poplar  Populus nigra

tree=small, bark=light gray (darker at base);  forming colonies;  buds=​shiny, against twig
quaking aspen  Populus tremuloides
tree=small, bark=light gray (darker at base);  forming colonies;  buds=​dusty gray away from twig
bigtooth aspen  Populus grandidentata

Learn more about aspen/​cottonwood/​poplar genus Populus (Populus spp.)

Part of willow  family Salicaceae.

🗺 Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48) (color key).

Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)

Populus hosts caterpillars of 367 species
of butterflies and moths, in some areas.

Often grows in clonal colonies [1] — look around for other stems!

🔍︎ 🔍︎ images Discover Life Encyclopedia of Life Michigan Flora Minnesota Wildflowers Flora of North America NRCS PLANTS db USFS Wikipedia

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🏠︎ 🌳︎🍃︎ broadleaf branches, ╟ alternate, list of attributes, no catkins, thorn-like twigs 🌳︎🍃︎ broadleaf branches, ╟ alternate, list of attributes, no catkins thorns pods, terminal buds not larger