SALICACEAE 
Balm of Gilead. Balsam 
Populus balsamifera L. 
HABIT.—A tree 60-75 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 
1-3 feet; forming a rather narrow, open, pyramidal crown of 
few, slender, horizontal branches. 
LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long, about one- 
half as broad; ovate to ovate-lanceolate; finely crenate-serrate ; 
thin and firm; lustrous, dark green above, paler beneath; petioles 
1% inches long, slender, terete, smooth. 
FLOWERS.—April, before the leaves; dioecious; the stam- 
inate in long-stalked catkins 3-4 inches long; the pistillate in 
loose-flowered, long-stalked catkins 4-5 inches long; calyx 0; 
corolla 0: stamens 20-30, with bright red anthers; ovary short- 
stalked; stigmas 2, wavy-margined. 
FRUIT.—May-June; 2-valved, ovoid, short-pedicelled cap- 
sules 14 inch long, borne in drooping catkins 4-6 inches long; 
seeds light brown, hairy. 
WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud about 1 inch long, ovoid, 
long-pointed, brownish, resin-coated, sticky, fragrant. 
BARK.—Twigs ‘red-brown, becoming dark orange, finally 
green-gray; thick, grayish on old trunks, and shallowly fissured 
into broad, rounded ridges, often roughened by dark excrescences. 
WOOD.—Light, soft, weak, close-grained, light Seay 
with thick, nearly white sapwood. 
DISTRIBUTION.—Occurs throughout the entire state, but 
is more abundant and of greater size in the northern portions. 
HABITAT.—Prefers river bottom-lands and borders of 
swamps. 
NOTES.—Rapid in growth. Spreads from the roots. Most 
useful for shelter-belts. Easily transplanted. Propagated from 
cuttings. 
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