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Balsam Fir
Abies balsamea

Fragrant needles, common Christmas tree, grows along bogs and in shaded forests, natural range is in the northern half of MN. Has an inconspicuous yellow flower.

USDA symbol: ABBA

General Information

Plant TypeTree
Height50 to 60 feet
Light ExposurePart Sun, Shade
Soil MoistureMedium
Bloom ColorRed, Brown
Balsam Fir (Balsam Fir<div><em class="small">Abies balsamea</em></div>)
Photo credit: Minnesota Wildflowers (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceHigh
General Resilience5
Salt ToleranceNone
Stress ToleranceAcidic Conditions, General Disturbance

Pollinator Value: Medium

Bloom MonthsMay to June
Larval Host ofMoths
Specific Pollinators HostedChoristoneura fumiferana, Eucopina tocullionana, Syngrapha rectangula

Project Planning

Project TypeRain Garden
Herbivore SensitivityMedium
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadMedium
Soil StabilizationDeep
Vegetative ReproductionAbsent

Range

CountyAitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pine, Polk, Roseau, St. Louis, Todd, Wadena, Winona
EcoregionDriftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands