Pinaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Abies balsamea

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

4/5

Safety & Hazards

The oleoresin (Canada balsam) is reported to produce dermatitis when applied as perfume[ 222 Title A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Publication Author Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. Publisher Houghton Mifflin Co. Year 1990 ISBN 0395467225 Description A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties. , 269 Title Handbook of Energy Crops Publication Author Duke. J. Website https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html Publisher - Year 1983 ISBN - Description Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants. ]. The foliage has also induced contact dermatitis[ 269 Title Handbook of Energy Crops Publication Author Duke. J. Website https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html Publisher - Year 1983 ISBN - Description Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants. ].

Botanical Description

Abies balsamea is an evergreen tree with a long, narrow crown; it can grow up to 20 metres tall with a straight, cylindrical bole. The tree is a major source of an oleoresin that has a wide range of medicinal and other applications. The tree also has a range of traditional uses as a food and source of materials, as well as being a commercial source of timber. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, and is also used as a 'Christmas tree'[ 226 Title Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Publication Author Lauriault. J. Publisher Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. Year 1989 ISBN 0889025649 Description Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses. ]. This is the most wide-spread species of Abies in North America. It is a component of the great boreal forest of Canada, a dynamic ecosystem that is destroyed locally by natural causes but regenerates continuously. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeNorth-eastern N. America - Newfoundland to Virginia, west to Alberta, Michigan and Ohio.

HabitatLow swampy grounds where it is often the major component of forests[ 82 Title Manual of the Trees of N. America. Publication Author Sargent. C. S. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Dover Publications Inc. New York. Year 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X Description Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the internet. ]. Also found on well-drained hillsides[ 82 Title Manual of the Trees of N. America. Publication Author Sargent. C. S. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Dover Publications Inc. New York. Year 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X Description Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the internet. ].