Populus balsamifera
Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera )
The balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera, synonym: Populus Tacamahaca ) is a tree from the section of the balsam poplars ( Tacamahaca ), which is found throughout northern North America. It is the most northerly occurring deciduous tree of the New World.
Description
The balsam poplar is a tall, fast-growing tree, reaching a height of 18 up to 24 meters, a maximum of up to 36 meters. It has a straight trunk and ascending branches. The shoots are terete or slightly angular and hairy. The winter buds are large, up to 2.5 inches long and are covered with yellow, fragrant resin. The leaves are alternate, ovate to broadly ovate, rough, pointed, and rounded at the base to heart-shaped. You are kerbig cut and finely ciliate. They are 5 to 12 centimeters long. The upper side of the leaf blade is bare and dark green, the underside is whitish and slightly hairy. The stem is thin, round and is 3 to 5 inches long. The balsam poplar is dioecious and wind-pollinated, like all poplars and forms hanging catkins. The female flowers have two-sheeted ovary, the male catkins are 5-7 inches long and have 12 to 15 stamens. As fruits open, leathery capsules are formed zweiklappig that appear in 12 to 14 centimeters long catkins. She has a chromosome number of 2n = 38
Distribution and habitat requirements
The balsam poplar is the most abundant in the northern deciduous tree of the New World. Their range extends from Newfoundland and Labrador along the tree line up to Northwest Alaska, and south to south-eastern British Columbia, Iowa and Pennsylvania. Local deposits are found in the Rocky Mountains, which extend as far south as Colorado, and to the east in West Virginia. In Central Europe they are sometimes found in city parks, more rarely it is used in forestry.
The balsam poplar is a frequently occurring tree. It grows in meadows and riparian woodland, mostly in river valleys, lake shores and on the edge of swamps, on fresh to moist, slightly acidic to alkaline soils of sand, gravel and crushed stones. It is heat- loving and prefers sunny locations, but is frost hardy. It is a kind of Hardiness Zone 3, so bear average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -35 to -40 ° C. In the Rocky Mountains it reaches a height of 1670 meters above sea level.
Ecology
The balsam poplar grows in pure stands or in association with the American aspen (Populus tremuloides ), paper birch (Betula papyrifera ), balsam fir (Abies balsamea ) and white spruce (Picea glauca ).
System
In addition to the nominate form still exists Populus balsamifera var subcordata the variety, which is also called Ontario poplar. Their range extends from Newfoundland to Ontario and south of Michigan to New York. The leaves of the variety are larger and broadly ovate to triangular, the petiole is hairy.
Use
→ Main article: poplar