Balsam poplar or Prunus?

[donbickley]

Hello,
  Love what you've done to the forum. Looks great!
  I sure hope someone can help me here. I've been trying to identify a tree which seems to grow throughout the north here. I've been told it's balsam poplar, and I've been told it's a type of Prunus (although I've never seen any type of edible fruit on them).
  In reviewing some information at http://www.domtar.com/arbre/english/p_pbaul.htm I have so far concluded that it is, indeed, a balsam poplar. The leaves, color, and aroma all seem to indicate this tree as being such a species. I'm hoping that someone can help me confirm this by the following description:
Aromatic - a sweet spicy sort of aroma that carries
Resinous - the leaves and stems seem to have a sticky resin
Growth -  grows large, and seems to grow in small stands
  Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Don
The Upper Peninsula's Official Search Engine

[Jeff]

Don,
Post a picture and someone will know for sure!

[donbickley]

Ok, will do. It might be easier to take numerous ones and post to a web page. The photos at the above mentioned link show the tree and leaves though. A MDNR Forestry guy told me it was Prunus, which is a fruit tree (plum??). Now, I didn't know we have wild plum growing here in the U.P.  If it 'is' a fruit tree (which I've never ever seen any fruit), then I'd guess a wild cherry. I'm SURE it's not that though   It looks more like a poplar. I'll post again when I have the photos completed.
Don
The Upper Peninsula's Official Search Engine

[Bill Johnson]

Balsam Poplar:

Broadleaf, deciduous, flowering tree, trunk straight, cylindrical;crown narrow of ascending branches;roots shallow.

Bark:Greenish grey and smooth becoming grey and deeply furrowed with V-shaped crevices separating flat topped ridges.

Twigs/Buds: Reddish brown and smooth; buds reddish brown slender and elongate and tapered to a sharp point, very resinous and fragrant.

Leaves: Alternate, simple, long stalked with round cross section. Blade egg-shaped, tapered to a point and rounded at the base. 2 1/2 to 6 inches long;dark green and shiny above paler below with brownish resin blotches, mostly hairless.

Usually found on rich moist soils of in seepage areas or flood plains.

Hope this helps a little the picture will make it easier to identify for sure.

Bill

[L. Wakefield]

   And from the little bit that I have been able to gather- the round cross-section of the stem will asist in telling populus balsamifera from almost all the other poplars and aspens. I had thought the aromaticity was mosrt notable when the tree was in bud, but I take it you are saying it persists when the leaves are full out as well?
  BTW, if you have lots and it turns out to be balsamifera, I would love to buy some saplings from you.   Louise W.

[donbickley]

Thanks Bill and Louise. Bill, I took numerous photos in Marquette of a stand of whatever this tree is. Just a matter of finding them on floppy. I have a tutoring assignment the next couple of days but I'll try to get something together by this weekend. By your description, it's a balsam poplar. Louise, yeah, I think the aroma is more prominent in the spring, but I distinctively remember detecting the aroma through out the summer as well, not as strong as spring time, but still very noticeable. I know of a few stands of these trees. If they are, indeed, balsam poplar, how many saplings would you be looking to acquire?
Don
The Upper Peninsula's Official Search Engine

[Ron Scott]

The Michigan Society of American Foresters web site has a Tree Identification for UP Trees. It should be there at http://forestry.msu.edu/msaf

There is some difference between Balsam Poplar and Prunus. You might ask Terry Read first hand at UP Resources, (906) 265-5170. Terry just built the log cabin and has it for sale just west of Sagola and Aho's Landing at the Michigamme Bridge on the north side of Highway 69. You might see him there if that's near you.  

[donbickley]

Thanks Ron, I'll do that. his cabin must be located going towards Crystal Falls from Sagola on 69. I frequently travel down 95 to 69 to Escanaba, so it  wouldn't be much to go west to catch up with him.
Don
The Upper Peninsula's Official Search Engine

[Ron Scott]

Yes, going toward Crystal Falls from Sagola. Give him a call; he's also an expert deer hunter in that area.

[L. Wakefield]

   This is for Don- it would depend on the price. If they were $20 apiece () I couldn't do more than like 2 (Don't laugh too hard- the only place I found selling them you had to advance order, you could only get 1 in 1-gallon size (dunno how tall that would be) and they wanted $8 apiece. But if you were talking something more reasonable I could take like up to 20. I really want to do enough that they naturalize. They should do OK here. The Maine Forestry Dept. book 'Forest Trees of Maine' sez that they grow in all the counties BUT York (I, naturally, live in York Co.)- and they are sposed to go up du Canada and down as far as NY state or maybe Pa. I heard there were some up in - where was it- Raymond or somewhere- I haven't gotten up there. The closest I came was to find a popple that did have a rounded petiole, but the teeth on the leaves were very big.
  Let me know. My e-mail is heretik@loa.com

                      Louise W.

[donbickley]

Hi Everyone,
  Well, I finely have those pics up. It's at http://www.uplive.com/balsamifera.htm. Give me your thoughts?
Don
     The Upper Peninsula's Official Search Engine

[Tom]

Good pictures Don

I noticed some Jeffosis Leafspoticus on one of the pictures.

[L. Wakefield]

   The bark on the trunk definitely looks like a popple and not a prunus. Also, the leaves appear to have the described 'brown stains' on their under surfaces. Good find, I would say. Nice pics. lw

[donbickley]

Thanks for the pic compliments Tom and Louise I was 99% sure they were balsam poplar. I also did a new post for those who might not be following this thread.
Don
    The Upper Peninsula's Official Search Engine

[donbickley]

Tom, ok... what is "Jeffosis Leafspoticus"?? hehe. Can't find what it is anywhere and now I'm curious.
Don
    The Upper Peninsula's Official Search Engine

[Tom]

That's the spot on the leaf that looks like the one that Jeff posted on his Maple. The name hasn't made it into the Timberbuyer Glossary yet.