Balsam Poplar, Populus balsamifera, is the northern most hardwood. We have been calling it cottonwood in the class. It is a medium sized tree that can reach around 100 feet tall. It is coniferous and populates boreal forests. It has oval leaves, that are heart shaped and have very small and fine teeth. The trunk of the tree can reach around 24 inches in diameter. The bark is a soft grey tone with reoccurring brown ridges. Its root system does not run too deep, which leaves it at the mercy of strong winds. It will flower from march to april
References:
http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/trees/populusbal.html
http://www.borealforest.org/trees/tree11.htm
http://www.scienceviews.com/plants/balsampoplar.html
The Black Cottonwood of Valdez is a very close cousin to the Balsam popular, so here it is cottonwood & there it is poplar. they look almost identical don't they?
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