Aspens have flattened leaf stalks that permit the pendulous leaves to quiver in the slightest breeze. The quaking, or golden, aspen is a common deciduous tree of the mountains of the Western United States; it is often the first tree to reforest burned-over woodlands. Because the lumber of this family is so soft it finds little use except for paper pulp, for charcoal, and especially in basketry and wickerwork. The bushes and their twigs used in basketry are often called osiers. These trees are valuable in erosion control along riverbanks because of their rapid growth.
