Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Malpighiales > Salicaceae > Populus > Populus balsamifera
 

Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar)

Synonyms: Populus balsamifera balsamifera; Populus balsamifera candicans; Populus balsamifera fernaldiana; Populus balsamifera lanceolata; Populus balsamifera michauxii; Populus balsamifera subcordata; Populus candicans; Populus michauxii; Populus tacamahaca; Populus tacamahaca candicans; Populus tacamahaca lanceolata; Populus tacamahaca michauxii; Populus tacanahaca candicans; Populus tacanahaca lanceolata; Populus tacanahaca michauxii

Wikipedia Abstract

The balsam poplars — also known as Populus sect. Tacamahaca — are a group of about 10 species of poplars, indigenous to North America and eastern Asia, distinguished by the balsam scent of their buds, the whitish undersides of their leaves, and the leaf petiole being round (not flattened) in cross-section.
View Wikipedia Record: Populus balsamifera

Attributes

Height [2]  98 feet (30 m)
Width [2]  26 feet (8 m)
Air Quality Improvement [1]  None
Allergen Potential [1]  High
Carbon Capture [1]  Medium
Shade Percentage [1]  80 %
Temperature Reduction [1]  Medium-High
Wind Reduction [1]  Medium
Hardiness Zone Minimum [1]  USDA Zone: 3 Low Temperature: -40 F° (-40 C°) → -30 F° (-34.4 C°)
Hardiness Zone Maximum [1]  USDA Zone: 9 Low Temperature: 20 F° (-6.7 C°) → 30 F° (-1.1 C°)
Water Use [1]  High to Moderate
Edible [2]  May be edible. See the Plants For A Future link below for details.
Flower Type [2]  Dioecious
Janka Hardness [3]  300 lbf (136 kgf) Very Soft
Leaf Type [2]  Deciduous
Pollinators [2]  Wind
Scent [2]  The leaf buds, as they swell in the spring, and the young leaves have a pleasing fragrance of balsam;
Specific Gravity [4]  0.34
Structure [2]  Tree
Usage [2]  An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day; The resin obtained from the buds was used by various native North American Indian tribes to waterproof the seams on their canoes; The resin on the buds has been used as an insect repellent; The bark has been burnt to repel mosquitoes; A pioneer species, capable of invading cleared land and paving the way for other woodland trees; It is not very shade tolerant and so it is eventually out-competed by the woodland trees. Wood - soft, light, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion; It weighs 23lb per cubic foot; The wood is also used as a fuel, it gives off a pleasant odour when burning;
View Plants For A Future Record : Populus balsamifera

Protected Areas

Name IUCN Category Area acres Location Species Website Map Climate Land Use
Acadia National Park II 35996 Maine, United States
Algonquin Provincial Park IV 1868802 Ontario, Canada
Banff National Park II 1690912 Alberta, Canada
Belogorye State Nature Reserve 5266 Belgorod, Russia
Bruce Peninsula National Park II   Ontario, Canada
Cape Breton Highlands National Park II 234333 Nova Scotia, Canada  
Chippewa Nature Center   Michigan, United States    
Elk Island National Park II 47171 Alberta, Canada
Forillon National Park II 61010 Quebec, Canada  
Fundy National Park II 52716 New Brunswick, Canada
Gateway National Recreation Area V 1807 New Jersey, United States
Georgian Bay Islands National Park II   Ontario, Canada
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Ib 591068 Alaska, United States
Grasslands National Park II 128635 Saskatchewan, Canada
Great Smoky Mountains National Park II 515454 North Carolina, Tennessee, United States
Gros Morne National Park II 476632 Newfoundland, Canada
Isle Royale Biosphere Reserve Ib 571799 Michigan, United States
Ivvavik National Park II 2382752 Yukon, Canada
Jasper National Park II 2776809 Alberta, Canada
Katmai National Park and Preserve Ib 421782 Alaska, United States
Kluane National Park and Reserve National Park Reserve II 5463436 Yukon, Canada
Kobuk Valley National Park Ib 1576553 Alaska, United States
Kouchibouguac National Park II 59161 New Brunswick, Canada
La Mauricie National Park II 131706 Quebec, Canada
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Ib 386679 Alaska, United States
Lake Superior Provincial Park IV 351011 Ontario, Canada
Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve II 20461 Quebec, Canada
Nahanni National Park Reserve II 1309627 Northwest Territories, Canada
Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve 470167 Ontario, Canada  
Point Pelee National Park II 5764 Ontario, Canada
Polar Bear Provincial Park 5502026 Ontario, Canada
Prince Albert National Park II 976762 Saskatchewan, Canada
Prince Edward Island National Park II   Prince Edward Island, Canada  
Pukaskwa National Park II 459860 Ontario, Canada
Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve 277252 Saskatchewan, Canada
Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve II 762028 Manitoba, Canada
Rocky Mountain Biosphere Reserve II 239938 Colorado, United States
Saint Lawrence Islands National Park II   Ontario, Canada
Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve 37548505 North Carolina, Tennessee, United States  
Tsentral'no-Chernozemny Biosphere Reserve Ia 13064 Kursk, Russia
Vuntut National Park II 1076795 Yukon, Canada
Wapusk National Park II 2614324 Manitoba, Canada
Winisk River Provincial Park II 434735 Ontario, Canada
Wood Buffalo National Park II 11038545 Alberta, Canada
Woodland Caribou Provincial Wilderness Park Provincial Park II 1072124 Ontario, Canada
Yellowstone Biosphere Reserve II 2196863 Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, United States

Ecosystems

Predators

Acleris emargana (Notched-winged tortricid)[5]
Acleris hastiana[5]
Acleris hudsoniana[5]
Acleris maximana[5]
Acleris nigrolinea[5]
Acleris variana (Black-headed budworm)[5]
Acronicta alni (Alder Moth)[5]
Acronicta dactylina (fingered dagger)[5]
Acronicta funeralis (Funerary Dagger Moth)[5]
Acronicta grisea (gray dagger)[5]
Acronicta hesperida[5]
Acronicta impleta (Yellow-haired Dagger Moth)[5]
Acronicta impressa (printed dagger)[5]
Acronicta innotata (Unmarked Dagger Moth)[5]
Acronicta leporina (miller)[5]
Acronicta lepusculina (cottonwood dagger moth)[5]
Acronicta megacephala (Poplar Grey)[5]
Adelges abietis (Aphid)[6]
Agonopterix canadensis[5]
Alces alces (moose)[6]
Alsophila pometaria (fall cankerworm)[5]
Amphipyra glabella (Grey Amphipyra)[5]
Anacampsis innocuella[5]
Anacampsis niveopulvella[5]
Anaplectoides prasina (green arches)[5]
Andropolia aedon[5]
Apotomis deceptana[5]
Archips cerasivorana[5]
Autographa ampla (Large Looper Moth)[5]
Brachylomia populi[5]
Cabera variolaria (pink-striped willow spanworm)[5]
Campaea perlata (light emerald)[5]
Catocala relicta (white underwing)[5]
Cerura vinula (Puss Moth)[5]
Chionodes terminimaculella[5]
Choreutis diana[5]
Choristoneura conflictana (Large Aspen Tortrix)[5]
Chrysomela populi <Unverified Name>[7]
Chrysomela tremula <Unverified Name>[7]
Clostera albosigma (Sigmoid Prominent)[5]
Clostera anachoreta (Scarce Chocolate-tip)[5]
Clostera apicalis[5]
Clostera brucei[5]
Clostera curtula (Chocolate-tip)[5]
Clostera pigra (Small Chocolate-tip)[5]
Colocasia propinquilinea (Closebanded Yellowhorn)[5]
Cossus cossus (Goat Moth)[5]
Crocigrapha normani[5]
Cydia populana[5]
Dasychira vagans[5]
Diaspidiotus ancylus (Howard scale)[8]
Egira dolosa[5]
Enargia decolor (Pale Enargia)[5]
Enargia infumata (Lesser Eyed Sallow)[5]
Endothenia albolineana[5]
Epinotia nisella[5]
Epinotia solandriana[5]
Erynnis icelus (Dreamy Dusky Wing)[5]
Erynnis persius (Persius Dusky Wing)[5]
Eulecanium ciliatum (ciliate oak scale)[8]
Eupithecia columbiata[5]
Eupithecia kananaskata[5]
Eupsilia tristigmata[5]
Eurois astricta (great brown dart)[5]
Eutrapela clemataria[5]
Furcula bifida[5]
Furcula furcula (Sallow Kitten)[5]
Gluphisia crenata (Dusky Marbled Brown)[5]
Gluphisia lintneri[5]
Gluphisia septentrionis[5]
Graphiphora augur (Double Dart)[5]
Gynaephora rossii[5]
Gypsonoma fasciolana[5]
Gypsonoma haimbachiana[5]
Gypsonoma substitutionis[5]
Haploa confusa[5]
Haploa lecontei (Leconte's Haploa)[5]
Hesperumia sulphuraria[5]
Homoglaea carbonaria[5]
Homoglaea dives[5]
Homoglaea hircina[5]
Ipimorpha pleonectusa[5]
Iridopsis larvaria[5]
Itame exauspicata[5]
Itame loricaria[5]
Lacanobia contigua (Beautiful Brocade)[5]
Lambdina fiscellaria (hemlock looper)[5]
Laothoe populi (Poplar Hawk-moth)[5]
Lepidosaphes ulmi (apple oystershell scale)[8]
Lepus americanus (Snowshoe Hare)[6]
Leucobrephos brephoides[5]
Leucoma salicis (White Satin Moth)[5]
Limenitis populi (Poplar Admiral)[5]
Lithophane amanda[5]
Lithophane bethunei[5]
Lobophora magnoliatoidata[5]
Lobophora nivigerata[5]
Lycia ursaria[5]
Lyonetia saliciella[5]
Machimia tentoriferella (Gold-striped Leaftier Moth)[5]
Meroptera pravella[5]
Messa hortulana <Unverified Name>[7]
Metanema inatomaria (Pale Metanema)[5]
Metarranthis duaria[5]
Nadata gibbosa (Rough Prominent)[5]
Nycteola cinereana[5]
Nycteola revayana (Oak Nycteoline)[5]
Olethreutes fasciatana[5]
Olethreutes glaciana[5]
Oligia illocata (Wandering Brocade)[5]
Operophtera bruceata (bruce spanworm)[5]
Orthotaenia undulana[5]
Pachysphinx modesta (modest sphinx, poplar sphinx)[5]
Pandemis canadana[5]
Pandemis limitata[5]
Papilio rutulus (Western tiger swallowtail)[5]
Paranthrene tabaniformis (Dusky Clearwing)[5]
Parastichtis suspecta[7]
Phalera bucephala (Buff-tip)[5]
Pheosia portlandia[5]
Pheosia rimosa[5]
Pheosia tremula (Swallow Prominent)[5]
Phigalia titea (Spiny Looper)[5]
Phyllocnistis populiella[5]
Phyllodecta vitellinae <Unverified Name>[7]
Phyllonorycter nipigon[5]
Phyllonorycter salicifoliella[5]
Pinicola enucleator (Pine Grosbeak)[6]
Plagodis phlogosaria (Straight-lined Plagodis)[5]
Pococera aplastella[5]
Poecilocampa populi (December Moth)[5]
Prionoxystus robiniae (carpenterworm)[5]
Protitame matilda[5]
Protitame virginalis[5]
Pseudosciaphila duplex (Aspen Leaftier)[5]
Psilocorsis reflexella[5]
Pterocomma populeum[7]
Pterostoma palpina[5]
Ptilodon capucina (Coxcomb Prominent)[5]
Pyrrhia exprimens (Purple-lined Sallow)[5]
Pyrrhia umbra (Bordered Sallow)[5]
Rheumaptera hastata (spear-marked black)[5]
Rheumaptera undulata[5]
Rhopobota finitimana[5]
Saperda carcharias[7]
Schizura leptinoides[5]
Scoliopteryx libatrix (herald moth)[5]
Semioscopis inornata[5]
Semiothisa neptaria[5]
Sesia apiformis (Hornet Moth)[5]
Sicya macularia[5]
Smerinthus cerisyi (Cerisy's sphinx moth)[5]
Smerinthus jamaicensis (twin-spotted sphinx)[5]
Smerinthus ocellata[5]
Sthenopis purpurascens[5]
Synaxis jubararia[5]
Tethea or (Poplar Lutestring)[5]
Tetracis cachexiata (White Slant-line)[5]
Triaxomasia caprimulgella[7]
Trichiocampus viminalis <Unverified Name>[7]
Venusia cambrica (welsh wave)[5]
Venusia pearsalli[5]
Zale minerea[5]

Range Map

Link to Map
North America;

External References

USDA Plant Profile

Photos

Citations

Species recognized by Kartesz J., , ITIS Regional: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System in Catalog of Life 2011
Attributes / relations provided by ♦ 1i-Tree Species v. 4.0, developed by the USDA Forest Service's Northern Research Station and SUNY-ESF using the Horticopia, Inc. plant database. ♦ 2Plants For A Future licensed under a Creative Commons License ♦ 3Wood Janka Hardness Scale/Chart J W Morlan's Unique Wood Gifts ♦ 4Forest Inventory and Analysis DB version 5.1, May 4, 2013, U.S. Forest Service ♦ 5HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants Gaden S. Robinson, Phillip R. Ackery, Ian J. Kitching, George W. Beccaloni AND Luis M. Hernández ♦ 6Making The Forest And Tundra Wildlife Connection ♦ 7Biological Records Centre Database of Insects and their Food Plants ♦ 8Ben-Dov, Y., Miller, D.R. & Gibson, G.A.P. ScaleNet 4 November 2009
Protected Areas provided by Biological Inventories of the World's Protected Areas in cooperation between the Information Center for the Environment at the University of California, Davis and numerous collaborators. ♦ Specially protected natural territories of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation ♦ Chippewa Nature Center
Images provided by Google Image Search
Abstract provided by DBpedia licensed under a Creative Commons License
Range map provided by Digital representation of "Atlas of United States Trees" by Elbert L. Little, Jr., U.S. Geological Survey, 1999
Weather provided by NOAA METAR Data Access