Prairie Gold® Aspen (Populus tremuloides ‘NE Arb’)

Categories: Bird Habitat | Erosion Control | Fast Growing | GreatPlants for the Great Plains | Medium-Sized Trees | Mesic Site | Moist Site | Wildlife

Prairie Gold® Aspen (Populus tremuloides ‘NE Arb’) is a true Nebraska native that is prized for its fast growth, shimmering foliage, brilliant golden-yellow fall color, and adaptability to Great Plains landscapes. Discovered by Allen Wilke north of Columbus, Nebraska, this selection brings the familiar beauty and movement of quaking aspen to landscapes well beyond the mountain settings where aspens are often associated.

Growing approximately 30–40 feet tall and 15 feet wide, Prairie Gold® develops a pyramidal form when young before becoming more rounded with age. Its rounded leaves are attached to flattened leaf stalks, allowing even a light breeze to set the foliage in motion—the characteristic “quaking” that gives the species its name.

Fall is one of its standout seasons. Green summer foliage transforms into a rich, glowing yellow, bringing the classic golden color associated with western aspen stands into the Great Plains landscape. After the leaves fall, its pale bark and branching structure continue to provide winter interest.

Prairie Gold® is fast growing and adaptable to a range of soils. It can be grown as an individual specimen, but its natural tendency to produce root suckers also makes it particularly effective when allowed to develop into a small grove or colony.

This Nebraska selection was introduced through the GreatPlants for the Great Plains program, which highlights plants with value for Great Plains landscapes.

NATIVE RANGE

Map courtesy of USDA-NRCS Plants Database.