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Balsam Poplar Flower Wikimedia Commons
Salicaceae

Balsam Poplar Flower

Populus balsamifera

Healing and northern resilience.

Family
Salicaceae
Genus
Populus
Native to
North America
Bloom season
Spring
Type
tree
Height
60-80 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
moist, rich, alluvial
Water
high
Hardiness
2-7
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The resinous buds produce a powerful balsamic fragrance that can perfume the air for hundreds of yards.
  • Native Americans collected the sticky bud resin to make a healing salve called 'Balm of Gilead.'
  • It is the northernmost hardwood tree in North America, growing right up to the Arctic treeline.
  • Male catkins can reach 3 to 4 inches long and release massive amounts of pollen in early spring.
  • The tree can survive temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit, among the hardiest of any broadleaf tree.

Color meanings

0

healing

1

endurance

Uses

  • traditional medicine
  • timber
  • windbreak
  • riparian restoration