Abies balsamea var. balsamea

Pinaceae Abies balsamea var. balsamea (L.) Mill.

Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
balsamea refers to ‘balsam’; having medicinal properties.

Colloquial Name
Balsam fir, Canadian fir

Description
These trees can grow up to 25 meters tall, with trunks reaching about 1 meter in diameter. The trunk is straight, cylindrical, and supports a conical crown. Young trees have pale gray, smooth bark with noticeable resin-filled blisters, while older trees develop dark grayish-brown or nearly black bark that flakes off in patches.

The main branches are long, slender, and arranged in circular whorls around the trunk, spreading out horizontally. Smaller branches also spread outward in a horizontal pattern. The twigs are slender and pale yellowish-green at first, gradually turning ash-gray with a reddish tint. Their surface is smooth but has a fine layer of short, dark gray hairs. The marks left by fallen leaves are round to oval in shape.

The buds are small, about 5 mm long and 4 mm wide, with a rounded-oval shape. They are heavily coated in sticky resin, which completely covers the bud scales. These scales are dark green with a slight purple tint and remain on the tree for several years. The needles grow in a spiral pattern along the branches. On non-cone-bearing branches, most of the needles fan out in two rows, while the upper ones point forward. On cone-bearing branches, they curve slightly upward. They measure 1.5 to 2.5 cm long and 2 mm wide, with a slight twist at the base. The needles are long, flat, and dark green on the upper side, while the underside has two distinct white bands separated by a green midrib. The tip of the needle is blunt or slightly notched but can be sharper on cone-bearing branches. Stomata, the tiny pores used for gas exchange, are scattered along a central groove on the upper surface, becoming more concentrated toward the tip. On the underside, they form two distinct bands separated by a midrib.

The pollen cones grow in the leaf axils and are numerous, hanging downward in clusters. They are small, about 0.6 cm long, yellow in color, and have tiny purple structures that produce pollen. The seed cones grow upright on very short stalks. They are cylindrical but taper slightly toward the tip, which is rounded. They measure 5 to 8 cm long and 2 to 3 cm wide. When young, they are green with a purplish tint, turning brown as they mature. The bracts inside the cone remain hidden, though their pointed tips may sometimes extend slightly beyond the scales. After the seeds are released, the cone’s central axis remains on the tree as a narrow, dark brown structure.

The scales that make up the cone are wedge-shaped or broad and fan-like, sometimes more rounded. In the middle of the cone, they measure about 1.2 to 1.4 cm in length and 1.4 to 1.7 cm in width. Their surface is smooth, with fine ridges on the lower part and a covering of brown hairs on the exposed section. The upper edge is strongly curved inward, and the base is attached to a short stalk. The bracts, which are small leaf-like structures within the cone, are broad and strap-shaped with a short pointed tip. They are usually hidden inside the cone but may sometimes extend outward and curve backward.

The seeds are wedge-shaped, about 3 to 4 mm long, and dark gray. They have flat, slightly angled wings that measure 7 to 10 mm in length and are grayish-brown, helping them disperse in the wind.

Subordinate Taxa
There exist 2 subordinate taxa for Abies balsamea:

Distribution

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TDWG Codes
7, 71, ABT, MAN, SAS, 72, LAB, NBR, NFL, NFL-NE, NFL-SP, NSC, ONT, PEI, QUE, 74, IOW, MIN, WIS, 75, CNT, MAI, MAS, MIC, NWH, NWJ, NWY, PEN, VER, WVA, 78, VRG

Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies balsamea var. balsamea are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 1 up to 1900 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies balsamea var. balsamea are:

USDA Hardiness zone – 2
Abies balsamea var. balsamea is hardy to USDA Zone 2 (Bannister & Neuner, 2001), meaning its frost tolerance lies somewhere in the range of -45.6C (-50F) to -40C (-40F).

Species Continuity
The population trend for Abies balsamea var. balsamea is stable. There are no known threats for Abies balsamea var. balsamea.

IUCN Category – LC
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies balsamea var. balsamea has been assigned the status of LC(Least Concern). This means that according to the Red List criteria, this species is not qualified as threatened.

Superordinate Taxa
The nearest superordinate taxon for Abies balsamea is Subsect. Laterales. The coordinate taxa for Abies balsamea are therefore:

Abies balsamea var. balsamea is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies balsamea var. balsamea is also placed under Pinaceae.

This map shows botanical records (points) for this taxon. By opening the map’s sidebar (collapsed by default) you can toggle visibility or change the basemap. By clicking on records, you reveal more information.