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Populus trichocarpa

Common name:	Western Balsam Poplar	Family:	Salicaceae
Author:	Torr.&A.Gray.	Botanical references:	204
Synonyms:	Populus balsamifera trichocarpa ((Torr.&A.Gray.)Brayshaw.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Western N. America - Alaska to Oregon.
Habitat:	Moist woods, ravines, shores, prairies and park lands[204].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	P. balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa[B,CPHOTO,CAL,CAL,,P] P. balsamifera subsp. trichocarpa[G] P. balsamifera var. californica[B,P] P. hastata[B,P] P. trichocarpa ssp. hastata[B,P] P. trichocarpa var. cupulata[B,P] P. trichocarpa var. hastata[B,P] P. trichocarpa var. ingrata[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Balsam Poplar [H], Black Cottonwood [FEIS,L,DEN1,P],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	trichocarpa = hairy fruits;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Salicales. Willow family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Canada(Kwakiutl); Canada(Salish)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 40m by 12m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The scented flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Wind. The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

Flowers; Inner bark; Sap.

Inner bark - raw or dried. It is usually ground into a powder and used as a flour, this is normally mixed with other flours for making bread etc[172, 177]. It is best used in the spring[172]. The inner bark is mucilaginous[257] and extremely sweet, but it sours or ferments rapidly and so, unlike most inner barks, it cannot be dried for winter use, though it can be sun-dried for more immediate use[256].
Catkins - raw or cooked. A bitter flavour[172].
Sap - used for food[257].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Anodyne; Antiinflammatory; Antiscorbutic; Antiseptic; Balsamic; Diuretic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Stimulant; Tonic.

Western balsam poplar has a long history of herbal use. It was commonly used by many native North American Indian tribes who valued it especially for its antiseptic and expectorant properties, using it to treat lung complaints, wounds, skin conditions etc[257]. It is still commonly employed in modern herbalism with much the same uses.
The leaf buds are covered with a resinous sap that has a strong turpentine odour and a bitter taste[213]. They also contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body[213]. The buds are antiscorbutic, antiseptic, balsamic, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant and tonic[4, 226, 238]. They are taken internally in the treatment of bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections. They should not be prescribed to patients who are sensitive to aspirin[238]. Externally, the buds are used to treat colds, sinusitis, arthritis, rheumatism, muscular pain and dry skin conditions[238]. They can be put in hot water and used as an inhalant to relieve congested nasal passages[213]. The buds are harvested in the spring before they open and are dried for later use[238].
Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, the bark of most, if not all members of the genus contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body[213, 238]. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps[238].

Other Uses

Adhesive; Basketry; Containers; Cork; Dye; Fuel; Insulation; Paint; Rooting hormone; Scourer; Soap; Soap making; String; Stuffing; Waterproofing; Wood.

An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day[172].
A yellow dye is obtained from the leaf buds[257].
The bark of large trees is thick and corky. It is made into containers for carrying and storing food, also as a lining for underground food stores[99].
The inner bark has been shredded, spun together with red or yellow cedar inner bark (Thuja plicata, Juniperus spp and Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) and used as a twine[257].
A glue is made from the aromatic gum on the spring buds[99, 226, 257]. Very strong, it can also be used as a waterproofing for wood etc[99]. When mixed with pigment it can be used as a paint[99].
A string is made from the roots[99].
The supple young branches have been used as lashings or tying thongs[257].
The seed fluff is used as a stuffing material for pillows etc[99].
The wood ashes are a soap substitute[99], they can also be mixed with oil to make a soap[99].
The white inner bark is also a soap substitute, it can be dried and stored for later use[99]. The inner bark has also been used as a scouring pad[257].
The roots have been used for making baskets[257].
Wood - soft, moderately strong, easily worked, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion. Used in making crates, packing material the staves of barrels, woodenware and for pulp[11, 82, 99, 229]. It makes an excellent fuel[99].

Cultivation details

A very easily grown plant, it does well in a heavy cold damp soil[1]. Prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain[11, 200]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[11] but this species is more tolerant of acid soils than other members of the genus[11]. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition[11, 200]. Plants are reasonably wind resistant, but they do not grow well in exposed upland sites[11].
Many forms of this species are susceptible to bacterial canker, the female clone 'Fritzi Pauley' is resistant[11, 200].
A very fast growing[11] and ornamental tree[1], it does well in western Britain where trees have reached 25 metres tall in 20 years[11].
The leaf buds, as they swell in the spring, and the young leaves have a pleasing fragrance of balsam[245]. The fragrance is especially pronounced as the leaves unfold[245].
Poplars have very extensive and aggressive root systems that can invade and damage drainage systems. Especially when grown on clay soils, they should not be planted within 12 metres of buildings since the root system can damage the building's foundations by drying out the soil[11].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - must be sown as soon as it is ripe in spring[113]. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening[200]. Surface sow or just lightly cover the seed in trays in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the old frame. If sufficient growth is made, it might be possible to plant them out in late summer into their permanent positions, otherwise keep them in the cold frame until the following late spring and then plant them out. Most poplar species hybridize freely with each other, so the seed may not come true unless it is collected from the wild in areas with no other poplar species growing[11].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 20 - 40cm long, November/December in a sheltered outdoor bed or direct into their permanent positions. Very easy.
Suckers in early spring[78].

Scent

Leaves: Fresh: The leaf buds, as they swell in the spring, and the young leaves have a pleasing fragrance of balsam[245]. The fragrance is especially pronounced as the leaves unfold[245].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
[DEN] Data _ Photos (Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.

References for Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa (a possible synonym).

[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
Images from the CalPhoto database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[FEIS] Data (Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.

References for Populus balsamifera subsp. trichocarpa (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for the family Salicaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
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.

[99] Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum 1979 ISBN 0-7718-8117-7
Excellent and readable guide.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[204] Livingstone. B. Flora of Canada National Museums of Canada 1978 ISBN 0-660-00025-3
In 4 volumes, it does not deal with plant uses but gives descriptions and habitats.

[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

[226] Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989 ISBN 0889025649
Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.

[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[256] Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. 1995 ISBN 0-7748-0533-1
Excellent little handbook about the native food plants of Western Canada. Good descriptions of the plants and their uses with colour photos of most plants.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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