Will quaking aspen grow in Mississippi?

Question

I am moving to Mississippi soon and am trying to figure out trees to plant at my house. My favorite tree is the quaking aspen. Will this grow there? And any recommendations of other trees, bushes, and other plants to grow in MS?

Answer 1

Based on your location and the map from the USDA Plant Profile service, I would be safe to say that quaking aspen will NOT do well in Mississippi. Given that they're native everywhere except the US Southeast, it appears that the species has issues with the hot and humid summers in that area. While Arkansas is listed as a state where aspens are native, there is no county-level information. This is important because Missouri, another state that indicates aspens are native, shows them in only a single county in the southern half of the statte (same for Illinois).

So, what to plant in Mississippi? I recommend this source from the Mississippi Forestry Commission, at least for native trees. It's a bit on the long side, but will certainly give you lots of ideas. For non-natives, your best bet is probably to visit a plant nursery after you've moved there and see what they're offering for sale. If it's a good nursery (one with people who are actually knowledgeable as opposed to just there to water the plants), you should be able to get some area-specific recommendations.