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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Populus balsamifera Trade Name Balsam poplar Family Name Salicaeae Common Names Balm, Balm Of Gilead, Balsam cottonwood, Balsam poplar, California poplar, Cottonwood, Hackmatack, Heartleaf balsam poplar, Poplar, Tacamahac, Tacamahac poplar, Western balsam poplar Regions of Distribution Eastern Europe, North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, Russia, United States Common Uses Baskets, Boxes and crates, Brooders, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Food containers, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Jewelry box, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Musical instruments , Office furniture, Organ pipes, Packing cases, Pallets, Piano keys, Pianos , Plain veneer, Poultry coops, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Veneer Environmental Profile Widespread, abundant, and globally secure May be rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery Data source is Nature Conservancy Distribution Overview The growth range of the species in North America includes Alberta, British Columbia, Lebanon, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory, Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, North Dakota, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Delaware, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Maryland, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Indiana, and Wyoming. It is aften found in pure stands and prefers moist soils in valleys, mainly stream banks, sandbars, flood plains, and also lower slopes. Heartwood Color Brown Purple Red Grey Grayish-white Brown - light grayish Sapwood Color Brown Whitish Sapwood blends into heartwood Disstinction between heartwood and sapwood is more obvious than in Eastern cottonwood Grain Even Closed Fiddleback (figure) Straight Wavy Occasionally wavy Generally straight, but not always Figure shows fiddleback occasionally Material is more figured than Aspen. Fiddleback figure very similar to Maple can be found Texture Medium Uniform Even or uniform Uniform Coarse Material is coarser than Aspen Luster Low Natural Durability Very little natural resistance Non durable Odor Has a taste Seasoned wood has no odor or taste No distinctive taste Green wood has disagreeable smell Kiln Schedules T6 - C4 (8/4) T8 - D5 (4/4 T8-F4 (8/4) T10-F5 (4/4) Wet streaks. Wet streaks. Drying Defects Moderate collapse and honeycombing Expect moderate degrade from water pockets. It is more liable to warp than Aspen Ease of Drying Dries rapidly Difficult Tree Size The size and shape of Balsam poplar trees are reported to have a good resemblance to the Cottonwoods and Aspens to which they are closely related Product Sources Although Balsam poplar is abundant, it is rarely marketed alone, but is usually sold in a mixture with other Poplars. The material is readily available from small sawmills at cheap prices, often less than $0.50 per board foot. Substitutes Essang (Parkia bicolor) is a good substitute. Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon) can be substituted for light furniture components and paneling. Light virola (Virola surinamensis) is also a substitute. Gaboon (Aucoumea klaineana) has similar strength properties. Gluing Excellent gluing properties Nailing Easy to nail Planing Easy to plane Areas of reaction wood may effect planing Resistance to Impregnation Moderately resistant Sanding Difficult to sand Screwing Good screwing properties Staining Ring-Porous figure becomes distinct after staining With proper staining, Balsam poplar can be made to resemble Cherry in appearance. Strength Properties Weight = moderate Low resistance to denting and marring Bending strength (MOR) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 4312 8036 psi Crushing Strength 152 363 psi Impact Strength 18 13 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 1847 4449 psi Shearing Strength 774 psi Static Bending 2548 4704 psi Stiffness 936 1333 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 5 8 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.32 0.35 Weight 45 27 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 303 565 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 10 25 kg/cm2 Impact Strength 45 32 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 129 312 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 54 kg/cm2 Static Bending 179 330 kg/cm2 Stiffness 65 93 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.35 0.56 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.32 0.35 Weight 721 432 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Arno, J. 1989. Populus balsamifera - Balsam poplar. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 286-288. Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.