In Ohio, it is uniformly distributed throughout the state. The bark is smooth and greenish-gray in color. The mature bark of older trees is dark and divided into broad, flat ridges at the root crown. The buds are gray, downy, and somewhat larger than those of the other species of aspen. The leaves distinguish this species from the quaking aspen.
Foliage is nearly bloomy when mature.
Like the quaking aspen, this tree lacks the translucent borders seen in other poplars. The flowers are in catkins similar to those of the other poplar species. The wood is light brown with thin, weak, soft, and nearly white sapwood. It is used in the manufacturer of paper, excelsior, and, to a small extent, woodenware. This is a tree of low, wet swamps and the flood plains of the larger streams and rivers.