Pando is a single tree that spans 106 acres.
Pando is the world’s largest tree.
Botanists Burton Barnes and Jerry Kemperman were the first to document the Pando tree in 1976.
Pando is male and regenerates itself by sending up new stems from the roots – a process known as suckering.
Pando features an estimated 47,000 stems (trunks) which appear to us as individual trees, but are branches of a single tree.
Pando’s estimated dry weight is 13.3 Million pounds making it three times larger than the next largest tree.
Pando is a quaking aspen whose scientific name is Populus tremuloides.
Michael Grant named the tree “Pando” which is Latin for “I spread”.
The name tremuloides refers to the way the tree’s leaves “tremble” when the wind blows.
Pando lives in Fishlake National Forest in the Fish Lake Basin, home to Utah’s largest natural mountain freshwater lakes.
Pando’s energy production, defenses and regeneration involve every stem working to sustain the entire tree.
Each stem of Pando is genetically identical to other stems but – derives its unique characteristics from its immediate environment.
Each stem can reach heights of 60-80 feet tall, 1-3 feet wide and spread up to 30 feet at the top.
Utah locals call aspen trees “quakies.”
The leaves of quaking aspen connect at right angles allowing them to deflect wind and conserve water.
Aspen provide natural fire breaks as their bodies are water heavy and do not burn readily.
There are concerns that Deer and Elk can eat away at Pando faster than it can regenerate. Engineered Wildlife Controls are used to keep animals out, move them around Pando and favor natural predators.
Pando’s root network acts like a giant circulatory system; our estimates indicated to move water and sugars up and down hill across the tree’s expanse, Pando would need to maintain around maintain 29 PSI of pressure throughout the system–which is same pressure as a car tire!
The “eyes” of Pando, and all aspen, are branch scars, the places where branches fall off as the stem grows up.
According to legend, the eyes of aspen are said to watch over children.
Aspen trees contain chlorophyll in their bark allowing them to create energy without their leaves.
Friends of Pando wildlife studies document Pando is home to black bears, red foxes, bobcat, wolverines, mountain lions, bats, coyote packs, scavenger birds and birds of prey.
Based on research we have today, Pando is at 9,000 years old — making it one of the oldest lifeforms on Earth.
If left alone, each stem (trunk) of Pando can live 130-150 years.
The US Forest Service, the State of Utah, Friends of Pando and community volunteers have helped install wildlife controls around 80% of the tree.
Wildlife Controls are used to protect Pando from over-browsing by deer and elk, and to provide room inside them to restore and promote Pando’s health.
Today, Pando does not enjoy formal protections as other famous and special trees do.
