Colorado Signature Homes

Stay True to Colorado: Plant Aspen

In the fall the beauty of aspens in Colorado is miraculous. Their leaves shake in even a light breeze and the colors highlight the landscape. With white trunks and branches and brilliant yellow foliage, the aspen provides a welcome relief from an otherwise green, brown and grey landscape. More and more aspens are being used in landscaping, bringing their beauty down from the mountains and into neighborhoods. In last decade there has been a die off of aspen stands in the wild, so perpetuating this lovely tree will help maintain a unique part of Colorado history.

The history of Colorado is literally carved into aspen trees throughout the state. Arborglyphs, or drawings and writing, were carved into aspen trees by sheep herders in the late 1800′s and early 1900′s. The sheep herders were mostly immigrants from Mexico, and their cultural contribution to Colorado is recorded in these carvings. Some are extraordinarily beautiful.

Aspens are definitely worth considering for landscaping. They take some work, but their stunning beauty makes up for that. They are quick growing and self reproducing. An aspen can be a centerpiece of any landscaping, or they can be used to complement other foliage in a garden. This is an easy way to have a little Colorado in your yard.