Difference between revisions of "Balsam Fir"

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__NOTOC__{{Plantbox
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{{SPlantbox
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| name = ''Abies balsamea''
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|familia=Pinaceae
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| common_names = Balsam Fir
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|genus=Abies
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| growth_habit = tree
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|species=balsamea
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| high = ?m (50 ft){{SSN}}
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|common_name=Balsam fir, Dwarf balsam fir
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| wide =     <!--- 65cm (25 inches) -->
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|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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| origin = NE United States
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|habit=tree
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| poisonous =     <!--- indicate parts of plants which are known/thought to be poisonous -->
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|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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| lifespan =     <!--- perennial, annual, etc -->
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|Max ht box=15
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| exposure =     <!--- full sun, part-sun, semi-shade, shade, indoors, bright filtered (you may list more than 1) -->
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|Max ht metric=m
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| water =     <!--- frequent, regular, moderate, drought tolerant, let dry then soak -->
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|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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| features =     <!--- flowers, fragrance, fruit, naturalizes, invasive -->
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|Max wd box=4.5
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| hardiness =     <!--- frost sensitive, hardy, 5°C (40°F), etc -->
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|Max wd metric=m
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| bloom =     <!--- seasons which the plant blooms, if it is grown for its flowers -->
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|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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| usda_zones =     <!--- eg. 8-11 -->
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|origin=C & E Canada, NE US
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| sunset_zones = 3-7, 15-17, 36-38, 42-44
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|lifespan=perennial
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| color = IndianRed
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|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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| image = Upload.png  <!--- Freesia.jpg -->
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|exposure=sun
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| image_width = 240px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
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|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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| image_caption =    <!--- eg. Cultivated freesias -->
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|water=moist
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| regnum = Plantae  <!--- Kingdom -->
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|features=fragrance
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| divisio =  <!--- Phylum -->
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|Temp Metric=°F
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| classis =    <!--- Class -->
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|min_zone=3
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| ordo =    <!--- Order -->
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|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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| familia =    <!--- Family -->
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|max_zone=8
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| genus = Abies
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|sunset_zones=3-7, 15-17, 36-38, 42-44
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| species = balsamea
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|image=Abies balsamea.jpg
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| subspecies =
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|image_caption=Abies balsamea
 
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Abies balsamea - Balsam Fir. Pyramidal tree up to 50ft tall with dark green needles. Doesn't thrive in hot-summer climates. Has legendary fragrance, making it popular for wreaths and Christmas trees.  
 
Abies balsamea - Balsam Fir. Pyramidal tree up to 50ft tall with dark green needles. Doesn't thrive in hot-summer climates. Has legendary fragrance, making it popular for wreaths and Christmas trees.  
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The '''balsam fir''' (''Abies balsamea'') is a [[North America]]n [[fir]], native to most of eastern and central [[Canada]] ([[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] west to central [[Alberta]]) and the northeastern [[United States]] ([[Minnesota]] east to [[Maine]], and south in the [[Appalachian Mountains]] to [[West Virginia]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ABBA |title=PLANTS Profile for Abies balsamea (balsam fir) | USDA PLANTS |accessdate=2007-07-17 |format= |work=}}</ref>
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It is a small to medium-size [[evergreen]] [[tree]] typically {{convert|14|-|20|m}} tall, rarely to {{convert|27|m}} tall, with a narrow conic crown. The [[bark]] on young trees is smooth, grey, and with [[resin]] blisters (which tend to spray when ruptured), becoming rough and fissured or scaly on old trees. The [[leaf|leaves]] are flat needle-like, 15 to 30 millimetres (½–1&nbsp;in) long, dark green above often with a small patch of [[stomata]] near the tip, and two white stomatal bands below, and a slightly notched tip. They are arranged spirally on the shoot, but with the leaf bases twisted to appear in two more-or-less horizontal rows. The [[conifer cone|cones]] are erect, 40 to 80 millimetres (1½–3&nbsp;in) long, dark purple, ripening brown and disintegrating to release the winged [[seed]]s in September.<br clear = left>
  
 
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Balsam Fir. Balm Of Gilead Fir. Fig. 60. Tree, 50-80 ft.: trunk 17-30 in. in diam.: lvs. dark green and lustrous above, pale below, rounded or obtusely short-pointed and occasionally emarginate, acute or acuminate on fertile branches: cones oblong, cylindrical, purple, 2.5-4 in. long; bracts shorter or rarely slightly longer than their scales. E. N. Amer. from Labrador and the valley of the Athabasca to Iowa and the mts. of Va. —Wood occasionally used for lumber; Canadian balsam, or balsam of fir, is obtained from the bark; in cult, loses its beauty early.}}
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Balsam Fir. Balm Of Gilead Fir. Tree, 50-80 ft.: trunk 17-30 in. in diam.: lvs. dark green and lustrous above, pale below, rounded or obtusely short-pointed and occasionally emarginate, acute or acuminate on fertile branches: cones oblong, cylindrical, purple, 2.5-4 in. long; bracts shorter or rarely slightly longer than their scales. E. N. Amer. from Labrador and the valley of the Athabasca to Iowa and the mts. of Va. —Wood occasionally used for lumber; Canadian balsam, or balsam of fir, is obtained from the bark; in cult, loses its beauty early.}}
 
   
 
   
 
:''More information about this species can be found on the [[Abies|genus page]].''
 
:''More information about this species can be found on the [[Abies|genus page]].''
  
 
==Cultivation==
 
==Cultivation==
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{{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
 
  
 
===Propagation===
 
===Propagation===
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{{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
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===Pests and diseases===
 
===Pests and diseases===
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==Varieties==
 
==Varieties==
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* Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis - Bracted Balsam Fir  
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There are two varieties:
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*''Abies balsamea'' var. ''balsamea'' (balsam fir) - bracts subtending seed scales short, not visible on the closed cones. Most of the species' range.
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*''Abies balsamea'' var. ''phanerolepis'' (bracted balsam fir or Canaan fir) - bracts subtending seed scales longer, visible on the closed cone. The southeast of the species' range, from southernmost [[Quebec]] to [[West Virginia]]. The name 'Canaan Fir' derives from one of its native localities, the [[Canaan Valley, West Virginia|Canaan Valley]] in West Virginia. Some botanists regard this variety as a natural hybrid between balsam fir and [[Fraser fir]] (''Abies fraseri''), which occurs further south in the Appalachian mountains.
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From other sources:
 
*'Nana' is a dwarf variety good in rock gardens and containers.
 
*'Nana' is a dwarf variety good in rock gardens and containers.
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*Var. columnaris. Branches very short, turned upward at the ends.
 
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*Var. hudsdnia, Engelm. (syn. A. hudsdnica), is a dwarf form.
 
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*Var. lutoscens. Lvs. white, yellow or straw-colored when exposed to the sun.
 
  
 
==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
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File:Abies balsamea branch.jpg
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Image:Upload.png| photo 1
 
Image:Upload.png| photo 1
 
Image:Upload.png| photo 2
 
Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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==References==
 
==References==
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<references/>
 
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
 
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
 
<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
 
<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
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Latest revision as of 18:14, 29 June 2010


Abies balsamea


Plant Characteristics
Habit   tree

Height: ⇕ 15 m"m" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Width: ⇔ 4.5 m"m" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 4.5.
Lifespan: ⌛ perennial
Origin: ✈ C & E Canada, NE US
Cultivation
Exposure: ☼ sun
Water: ◍ moist
Features: ✓ fragrance
USDA Zones: 3 to 8
Sunset Zones: 3-7, 15-17, 36-38, 42-44
Scientific Names

Pinaceae >

Abies >

balsamea >


Abies balsamea - Balsam Fir. Pyramidal tree up to 50ft tall with dark green needles. Doesn't thrive in hot-summer climates. Has legendary fragrance, making it popular for wreaths and Christmas trees.

The balsam fir (Abies balsamea) is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada (Newfoundland west to central Alberta) and the northeastern United States (Minnesota east to Maine, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to West Virginia).[1]

It is a small to medium-size evergreen tree typically 14 - 20 m tall, rarely to 27 m tall, with a narrow conic crown. The bark on young trees is smooth, grey, and with resin blisters (which tend to spray when ruptured), becoming rough and fissured or scaly on old trees. The leaves are flat needle-like, 15 to 30 millimetres (½–1 in) long, dark green above often with a small patch of stomata near the tip, and two white stomatal bands below, and a slightly notched tip. They are arranged spirally on the shoot, but with the leaf bases twisted to appear in two more-or-less horizontal rows. The cones are erect, 40 to 80 millimetres (1½–3 in) long, dark purple, ripening brown and disintegrating to release the winged seeds in September.


Read about Balsam Fir in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Balsam Fir. Balm Of Gilead Fir. Tree, 50-80 ft.: trunk 17-30 in. in diam.: lvs. dark green and lustrous above, pale below, rounded or obtusely short-pointed and occasionally emarginate, acute or acuminate on fertile branches: cones oblong, cylindrical, purple, 2.5-4 in. long; bracts shorter or rarely slightly longer than their scales. E. N. Amer. from Labrador and the valley of the Athabasca to Iowa and the mts. of Va. —Wood occasionally used for lumber; Canadian balsam, or balsam of fir, is obtained from the bark; in cult, loses its beauty early.

The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


More information about this species can be found on the genus page.

Cultivation

Propagation

Pests and diseases

Varieties

There are two varieties:

  • Abies balsamea var. balsamea (balsam fir) - bracts subtending seed scales short, not visible on the closed cones. Most of the species' range.
  • Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis (bracted balsam fir or Canaan fir) - bracts subtending seed scales longer, visible on the closed cone. The southeast of the species' range, from southernmost Quebec to West Virginia. The name 'Canaan Fir' derives from one of its native localities, the Canaan Valley in West Virginia. Some botanists regard this variety as a natural hybrid between balsam fir and Fraser fir (Abies fraseri), which occurs further south in the Appalachian mountains.

From other sources:

  • 'Nana' is a dwarf variety good in rock gardens and containers.

Gallery

  • Abies balsamea branch.jpg

  • photo 1

  • photo 2

  • photo 3

References

  1. ↑ "PLANTS Profile for Abies balsamea (balsam fir)". Retrieved on 2007-07-17.

External links


Retrieved from "http://gardenology.mywikis.net/w/index.php?title=Balsam_Fir&oldid=129979"