Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Extension
  • United States
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil
  1. Bing Gallery
  2. United States
  3. 2019
  4. September 20
  5. Quaking aspens of Pando in Fishlake National Forest, Utah
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Quaking aspens of Pando in Fishlake National Forest, Utah

September 20, 2019

Quaking aspens of Pando in Fishlake National Forest, Utah

© Don Paulson/Danita Delimon

Fall comes to Pando. Fall comes to Pando

All is not as it appears to be here at Pando, in Utah's Fishlake National Forest. At first glance, visitors likely see a massive grove of quaking aspen trees, their leaves dancing in the wind. But Pando is not many trees; instead, it's a single organism. Like many aspen groves, the 40,000 trees in Pando are genetically identical cloned stems that sprouted from the same root system. First discovered in 1968, Pando made waves in the scientific world. It's become recognized as one of the heaviest known organisms—weighing 6,000 metric tons—and one of the oldest known living organisms. Scientists estimate its root system is upwards of 80,000 years old, having endured the last ice age and countless forest fires. It got to be so old partly because most of the organism is protected underground. So, while an individual stem can die, the organism as a whole survives.It's only recently that human activity has threatened Pando’s health, with drought, grazing, and fire suppression interfering with its growth. ‘Pando’ translates as 'I spread out' in Latin, a reference to the way it extends itself through cloning. But its delicate, fluttering leaves—which turn golden this time of year—have lent it another moniker: the Trembling Giant.

tree poplar plant outdoor autumn forest painting fall birch

Related Images

Aspens in the White River National Forest, ColoradoAspens in the White River National Forest, Colorado
Birch trees in autumn, Drammen, NorwayBirch trees in autumn, Drammen, Norway
Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, WashingtonGolden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington
The aspen canopy along the Last Dollar Road near Telluride, ColoradoThe aspen canopy along the Last Dollar Road near Telluride, Colorado
Jardin des Tuileries in autumn, leading to the Louvre Museum in Paris, FranceJardin des Tuileries in autumn, leading to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France
Quaking aspens in Gunnison National Forest, Colorado Quaking aspens in Gunnison National Forest, Colorado
Boardman Tree Farm in Boardman, Oregon Boardman Tree Farm in Boardman, Oregon
London and surroundings photographed from the International Space Station London and surroundings photographed from the International Space Station

Today on Bing

Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

Sep 20, 2024
Roman-inspired aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland

Roman-inspired aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland

Sep 20, 2023
Raft of sea otters in Sitka Sound, near Sitka, Alaska

Raft of sea otters in Sitka Sound, near Sitka, Alaska

Sep 20, 2022
Starlings in the wetlands between Denmark and Germany

Starlings in the wetlands between Denmark and Germany

Sep 20, 2021
Sea otter mother and newborn pup in Monterey Bay, California

Sea otter mother and newborn pup in Monterey Bay, California

Sep 20, 2020

Related Tags

tree poplar plant outdoor autumn fall forest landscape maple nature deciduous birch sky grass painting leaf field orange grove snow
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
  • © 2025 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.