How Can You Tell Balsam Poplar?

The balsam poplar tree has egg-shaped, thick leaves with pointed tips and finely toothed edges, which are dark green on the top and pale green underneath. White poplar tree leaves are either oval or five-lobed with wavy edges and a textured white underside.

What does a balsam poplar look like?

What it looks like. Balsam poplar is notable for its pointed, shiny, oval-shaped leaves and resin-dotted undersides . ... Male trees flower in long, hanging catkins before the leaves appear and female trees disperse fluffy seeds into the air in late spring. Balsam poplar has flat gray scaly ridges at maturity.

What do balsam poplar leaves look like?

Balsam poplar tree leaves are narrow, ovately shaped with a protruding tip and finely-serrated margins . The dark green simple leaves are alternately arranged on branches. Balsam tree leaves have a fresh, aromatic scent of balsam. The leaves grow up to 2.3” (6 cm) long and 2” (5 cm) wide.

How can you tell white poplar?

Comparisons: White Poplar is identified by the greenish-white bark of young branches with numerous small black lenticels and the 3 to 5 lobed leaves with white hairy undersides – the only species of the genus to have such.

Where is balsam poplar found?

RANGE & HABITAT. These trees often grow on the eastern slopes of hillsides in moist soils near rivers or floodplains , but they can also grow in rocky soils. You can find them from coast to coast across the northern part of North America.

Is poplar a good tree?

Poplars are wonderful backyard trees , good for specimen planting as well as wind-rows. However, like every species, they have disadvantages. ... The other downside of poplars is that they don’t live long. Even with the best poplar tree care, specimens die in about 50 years and you’ll have to plant again.

What is balsam poplar used for?

Balsam poplar wood is used to make pulpwood, lumber, veneer, high-grade paper and particle board . It can also be used to make boxes and crates. The short, fine fibres are used in tissues and other paper products.

How long does a balsam poplar tree live?

Balsam Poplar Tree

They’re long-lived for poplars, typically surviving 100 years and sometimes up to 150 years . These tall, straight trees are the northernmost hardwood in North America. They grow throughout much of Canada and the northern half of the United States.

How long does a balsam poplar live?

They can live on average about 70 years . Their large ascending branches form a pyramidal crown. The long and pendulous catkins develop in early spring before the emergence of the trees lustrous leaves but detach when the leaves drop in autumn.

Is balsam poplar a hardwood?

Populus balsamifera – Balsam Poplar. The balsam poplar is the northernmost North American hardwood . Other names are tacamahac, cottonwood, or heartleaf balsam poplar.

How do I get rid of white poplar trees?

The entire root system, or as much of it as possible, should be removed to prevent resprout from fragments. Hand removal of plants is best achieved after a rain, when the soil is loose. Trees of any size may be felled by cutting at ground level with power or manual saws .

What is another name for the white poplar?

Also called abele . an Old World poplar, Populus alba, widely cultivated in the U.S., having the underside of the leaves covered with a dense silvery-white down.

What type of poplar tree do I have?

Each type of poplar tree has distinctive leaves. The balsam poplar tree has egg-shaped, thick leaves with pointed tips and finely toothed edges, which are dark green on the top and pale green underneath. White poplar tree leaves are either oval or five-lobed with wavy edges and a textured white underside.

What animals eat balsam poplar?

Moose, deer, elk, and other animals browse on balsam poplar stem material but eat little foliage (3). Stems as large as 5 cm (2 in) d.b.h. may be broken by moose and the tops browsed.

Is balsam poplar the same as balsam fir?

Balsam Poplar is a hardy, fast-growing deciduous tree that is Native to Canada east of the Rockies. ... Balsam Fir – best known as a “Christmas tree” – doesn’t just look great in living rooms; it’s a terrific tree for your yard too! This fir grows tall and narrow.

What does balsam poplar smell like?