Aspens, known for brilliant shades of gold and yellow, create some of the most stunning fall foliage displays. Anyone who enjoys the beauty of quaking aspens may be a fan of “Pando,” a massive clonal colony of a single male quaking aspen located in south-central Utah. Pando is considered one of the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth.
FOR MORE ABOUT PANDO LISTEN HERE
Facts about Pando:
- Pando is Latin for “I spread”.
- Covers over 100 acres (~43 hectares).
- It is made of around 40,000 individual stems (what appear to be separate trees).
- Pando is estimated to weigh over 6,000 metric tons, making it the heaviest known organism.
- It is estimated to be around 80,000 years old.
Why Pando Is Special:
- Pando is a clonal colony wherein all the trees in the colony share a single root system and are genetically identical. They sprout from this shared root system, not from seeds.
- As older stems die, the root system sends up new shoots, which grow into trees. This regenerative process has allowed Pando to survive for tens of thousands of years.
- Overgrazing by deer and elk, climate change, human activity, and disease are endangering Pando’s ability to regenerate naturally.
Pando is important to the environment because it also contributes to climate regulation by controlling factors like temperature, atmospheric gases (especially carbon dioxide), and water cycles.
Learn more about Pando, a natural wonder.
Pando, The World’s Largest Tree
What is Pando? A Guide to Utah’s Natural Wonder
Friends of Pando: The Pando Tree
