Balsam Firs
Needles are 3/4 to 1 inch long, flat, green tops and silver undersides, soft and often strongly curved. Twigs with needles have a generally flattened appearance. Cones are 2 to 4 inches long, purplish in color, and stand erect on branches. The bark is smooth, thin, and grayish, distinguished by soft blisters containing a clear, wonderful aromatic resin known as Canadian balsam. Plant a grouping of Balsams around your home or cabin an enjoy the clean clear scent of the Northwoods.
The soils on which balsam fir grows range from silt loams developed from lake deposits to stony loams derived from glacial till. It grows on soils of pH ranging from 4.0 to 6.0. It is generally found in areas with a cold moist climate and with 30 inches or more of annual precipitation.
This species can also be readily grown in nurseries, for transplanting to abandoned fields, Christmas tree plantations, and open areas. Use conventional tree planting techniques. Three or four year old seedling stock should be utilized.