Often what appears to be a large group of individual trees are root sprouts from a single seedling or tree. It has some good ornamental characteristics including light-colored bark and its adaptation to a wide variety of sites, but its root sprouting habit discourages widespread use for shade or ornamental planting. It can be managed in the landscape as a small grove of trees because of its root sprouting characteristic. Bigtooth aspen does play a very significant role in the lives of many other organisms. Throughout its range, more than 500 species of animals and plants utilize the aspens.
Aspens are important browse for a variety of game animals.
The wood of bigtooth aspen is light, soft, weak, light in color and of little economic importance in Iowa. In areas where aspen is more abundant, it is used extensively for particleboard, pulp and paper, boxes, crates, pallets, and other products.