Editing Populus sect. Populus (section)

==Uses==
Aspen [[wood]] is white and soft, but fairly strong, and has low flammability. It has a number of uses, notably for making [[match]]es and [[paper]] where its low flammability makes it safer to use than most other woods. Shredded aspen wood is used for packing and stuffing, sometimes called [[excelsior (wood wool)]]. It is also a popular animal bedding, since it lacks the [[phenol]]s associated with [[pine]] and [[juniper]], which are thought to cause [[respiratory system]] ailments in some animals. Heat-treated aspen is a popular material for the interiors of a [[sauna]]. While standing trees sometimes tend to rot from the heart outward, the dry timber weathers very well, becoming silvery-grey and resistant to rotting and warping, and has traditionally been used for rural construction in the northwestern regions of Russia (especially for roofing, in the form of thin slats).

The [[Ojibwe]] used the inner bark of the trunk as a [[poultice]], and the [[Cree]] ate the inner bark in the spring as a mild purgative.<ref>Native American ethnobotany, pp. 427–433, Daniel E. Moerman 1998.</ref>