Aspen
Aspen is a deciduous tree, a fast-growing member of the willow family. Growing to a height of up to 30m, it was one of the first trees to recolonise Britain after the Ice Age. Its Latin name, populus termula, means 'trembling' referring to the fact that its toothed leaves quiver in the slightest breeze producing a sound like falling raindrops. Found commonly in damp areas, the tree grows best in open country rather than dense woodland. Poor people built their houses of aspen and its bark was used in the tanning industry. Aspen was used to make arrows in the Middle Ages