Description
Balsam Fir is an open, pyramidal tree with stiff horizontal branches ending in stout yellowish-brown, fuzzy twigs with crowded shiny foliage. They grow best on fertile, moist, well drained or swampy soils associated with natural stands of tamarack and white cedar. Can be grown on dry and sandy soils once they are established. It is considered a short-lived tree that rarely survives over 90 years. They make fabulous Christmas trees and can be grown in moist areas where other Christmas trees will not survive. Commonly Balsams grow 40-60′ in height and occasionally as tall as 80′, with a trunk diameter of 1-2′.
On mountaintops they are reduced to shrub like sizes. Some years ago, while hiking to the top of Mt. Marcy in New York, my brother and I came to an exposed area at about 4,500′ that was all balsam fir. It was somewhat of an unreal sight as the path wound through a field of 6′ high balsam shrubs.
By the way, my brother made it to the top of Mt. Marcy but I didn’t. My ankle was acting up and we had a 10-mile hike out, so I had to save the wear and tear on it for the trip out. Needless to say, I had a very pleasant sit among the balsam fir as he sprinted to the top.
The needles of the balsam fir are a lustrous dark green above, aromatic, pale beneath, narrow and straight, blunt, flat 1/2 to 1″ long with a notched tip. Scattered, spirally arranged in rows, on young balsam fir extending from all sides of the branch, on old trees covering the upper side of the branch. he cones of the Balsam Fir are erect as in all true firs, 2-4″ long and 1″ wide, purple when new, browning with age and leaving a stem as the seed fall off.
The young cones are in my opinion a real spring visual treat, be sure to look for them this June. The seed are about 1/4″ long it takes about 50,000 to make a pound. The wood is light, soft, weak, coarse- grain with wide rings and lighter colored sapwood, used locally as lumber but mainly pulp wood and also box & crates and of course logs for cabins wood. balsam fir wood weighs 25 pounds per cubic foot.The sap was once used to mount specimens on microscope slides.
The needles of balsam fir were once used in pillows to add an aromatic flavor to ones sleep. We have beautiful Balsam Fir here at the farm for U-Cut or We Cut Christmas tree sales.Fine Christmas tree though the Fraser and Douglas fir are more in demand. We have a balsam fir Christmas tree in our living room and as of today ( Feb 10th ) the needles are still firmly attached. I last watered it on December 31. We went to California for a month and I left it up..
Balsam Fir
Scientific Name: Abies balsamea
Zone: 3-6
Mature Height: 40-60 ft
Mature Width: 20-30 ft
Growth Rate: Slow,
Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soil
Sun Requirements: Sun or part-shade
Fall Color: None
Wildlife Value: Deer browse the greenery. Squirrels, chipmunks and other rodents eat the seeds.
