Salicaceae
Balsam poplar
Populus balsamifera
- Family
- Salicaceae
- Genus
- Populus
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Common names
By language (30)
- Arabic
- حور بلسمي
- Armenian
- Բարդի խոշորոտերև, Բարդի բալասանաբեր
- arz
- حور بلسمى
- azb
- بالزام قوْواغی
- Azerbaijani
- Balzam qovağı
- Belarusian
- Таполя бальзамічная
- Bulgarian
- Балсамова топола
- Chinese
- 香脂杨, 欧洲大叶杨
- Czech
- Topol balzámový
- dsb
- Wónjaty topoł
- Dutch
- Ontariopopulier
- English
- Balsam poplar, Ontario balsam poplar, Bam, Bamtree, Eastern balsam-poplar, Hackmatack, Tacamahac poplar, Tacamahaca
- Estonian
- Palsamipappel
- Finnish
- Palsamipoppeli
- German
- Balsam-Pappel
- Hebrew
- צפצפה בלסמית
- hsb
- Wonjaty topoł
- Icelandic
- Balsamösp
- Latvian
- Balzāma papele
- Lithuanian
- Balzaminė tuopa
- Luxembourgish
- Balsam-Pëppel
- Norwegian Bokmål
- Balsampoppel
- Polish
- Topola balsamiczna
- Portuguese
- Álamo-bálsamo
- Russian
- Тополь бальзамический
- Swedish
- Balsampoppel
- Turkish
- Balsam kavağı
- udm
- Бальзамической тополь
- Ukrainian
- Тополя бальзамічна
- Welsh
- Poplysen falmaidd y Dwyrain
Synonyms
- Aigiros balsamifera (L.) Lunell
- Populus balsamifera subsp. balsamifera
- Populus balsamifera var. balsamifera
- Populus latifolia Moench
- Populus tacamahacca Mill.
Flowers
- In flower
- March to May (from 78 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)
- Flower colour
- yellow (USDA PLANTS Database)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Tree
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Alaska: native, Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native
Photos
FlowerPhoto: Allison McCabe, CC0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Sean Frey, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Kallum McDonald, CC0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Syd Cannings, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Quinten Wiegersma, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Rose Zappa, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: robinlanark, CC0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons ![Balsam poplar: The buds of Populus balsamifera]] are large and mostly terminate a branch.](/plants/populus-balsamifera/photos/500407eeb19e2f35-s.webp)
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: peganum from Small Dole, England, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
![Balsam poplar: The buds of Populus balsamifera]] are large and mostly terminate a branch.](/plants/populus-balsamifera/photos/500407eeb19e2f35-l.webp)
More in Populus
- Eurasian aspenPopulus tremulaSalicaceae
- Black poplarPopulus nigraSalicaceae
- White poplarPopulus albaSalicaceae
- Quaking aspenPopulus tremuloidesSalicaceae
- Eastern cottonwoodPopulus deltoidesSalicaceae
- Hybrid black poplarPopulus × canadensisSalicaceae
- Euphrates poplarPopulus euphraticaSalicaceae
- Simon's poplarPopulus simoniiSalicaceae
- Black cottonwoodPopulus trichocarpaSalicaceae
- Narrowleaf cottonwoodPopulus angustifoliaSalicaceae
- Fremont cottonwoodPopulus fremontiiSalicaceae
- Bigtooth aspenPopulus grandidentataSalicaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.