I just found this thread- well over a year late. I live in the mountains near Colorado Springs and have grown many bonsai of native species for many years- including an aspen grove. It is in a pot about 27" X 15" X 2". All that was said above about the faults of these trees is true. Also digging a sucker up and having it survive the transplant is risky, but like you, I have loads to risk and nothing to lose. The transplant works best if done in spring just before the buds break open. Another trick, if you have patience, is to cut one or both of the sucker roots a few inches on each side of the tiny tree(s) you want but leave it right there. These suckers are usally just an inch or 2 under the ground and grow horizontal. Give it a long time- like 'til next spring to form some new fine feeder roots, and then move into a pot. Aspen like lots of water and when established in a pot will often throw up new suckers of their own leading to a grove. I started with two groves of 3 trees each and after a couple of years put them together in a very large pot only 2" deep. I keep it sheltered in the winter and this helps some but nearly always lose at least one tree per season. Each spring I replace a dead one with a new one. I keep one orr 2 dead ones too as that is natural part of a forest. Bonsai rquires lots of patience, but since you have lots of available material give it a try. Also see if you can join a club in your area- no better way to learn. Good luck.

i grow hosta.. over 1500 different kinds .. what trees are reasonable to garden in .. under.. and around.. is very important to me .. i have a long list of hated trees.. primarily maple.. and a long list of trees that i would not plant.. because i want to garden under them ... and aspen is one of them ... your facts .... indicate a wide range of gardening ideas .... and all i am suggesting.. is that in 5.. 10.. 20.. years down the line.. you might not be happy with your trees choice ... but surely.. you can deal with it then ... and my one golden rule with such is.. cut it down and get rid of it.. while you can still do it FOR FREE .. yourself ... IF AND WHEN IT BECOMES A PROBLEM ... [this is what i did.. as EAB came along.. and i had some ash getting on 20 feet .. and though it broke my heart to do it.. i took them down.. while i could still do it for free] most things. that start with a few runners.. shoots.. only get worse.. as you start cutting them out ... as i said.. i am just making you aware of the POTENTIAL problem..not suggesting any action need be done right now ... on my 5 acres.. i could have one.. 4 acres over from my hosta.. on the other hand.. when i was in suburbia.. on a 50 by 100 foot backyard.. such a tree might very quickly become an issue ... good luck enjoy your aspen.. ken

Hi there I love quaking aspens too but I planted Chinese Tallow trees instead. It has the same heart shaped leaf. Now is the time to buy them because you can pick out the fall color - they vary from yellow to burgundy. My neighbor has cottonwood trees on their back fence line - you might want to read about them before you plant. They are beautiful trees but don't put them too close to the house. Hope this helps.

Up here (Seattle area) genuinely native ones are seen in a few bogs. But planted examples are all over the place - you will certainly be able to grow it there. The question is will the indefinitely spreading root system be suitable for your site - aspen is one of those things that crops up periodically in the media as a newly recognized "World's Largest Living Thing", after somebody using DNA testing discovers for instance that a whole mountainside is covered with a single, ancient clone that just keep spreading and spreading. If you want to go look at them there Hoyt Arboretum has multiple locations: https://hoytarboretum.gardenexplorer.org/taxon-498.aspx