Populus balsamifera Linnaeus. Balsam Poplar, Hackmatack, Tacamahac. Phen: Mar-Jun; May-Jul. Hab: Floodplains, disturbed areas. Occurring further north in a variety of habitats such as depressions, drainages, river bottoms, spruce-aspen forests, or on well-drained sites atop glacial deposits. Dist: NL (Labrador) and AK south to PA, WV, OH, IN, IL, IA, SD, CO, ID, and OR; scattered farther south by introduction. Ranges south to s. PA (Rhoads & Block 2007), e. and c. KY (Clark et al. 2005), and to VA (according to Kartesz 1999). Also reported for n. GA (Jones & Coile 1988) and provisionally for SC (Kartesz 1999), but apparently based on a specimen from cultivation. Many of the attributions of this species to states in our area are based on misidentifications.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy: = C, FNA7, G, GrPl, Mi, NY, Pa, Tat, WV; = n/a – RAB; = Populus balsamifera L. ssp. balsamifera – K1, K3, K4, NE; > Populus balsamifera L. var. balsamifera – F; > Populus balsamifera L. var. michauxii (Dode) Henry; > Populus balsamifera L. var. subcordata Hyl. – F

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
• Great Plains: FACW
• Midwest: FACW
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACW

Heliophily: 5