Michigan Trees Part 15

FRUIT.--May; 2-valved, conical, acute, hairy capsules 1/8 inch long, borne in drooping catkins 4-6 inches long; seeds minute, dark brown, hairy.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, ovoid to conical, acute, light chestnut, p.u.b.erulous, dusty-looking.

BARK.--Twigs greenish gray and at first h.o.a.ry-tomentose, becoming l.u.s.trous, orange or red-brown and finally greenish gray; thick, dark red-brown or blackish at the base of old trunks, irregularly fissured, with broad, flat ridges.

WOOD.--Light, soft, weak, close-grained, light brown, with thin, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--A common tree in the northern portions of the Lower Peninsula, but rare in the Upper Peninsula.

HABITAT.--Prefers rich, moist, sandy soil; borders of swamps; river-banks; hillsides.

NOTES.--Grows rapidly in many soils. Easily transplanted. Short-lived.

Useful for temporary effect. Propagated from seed or cuttings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: +Balm of Gilead. Balsam+

1. Winter twig, 1.

2. Leaf, 3/4.

3. Staminate flowering branchlet, 1/2.

4. Staminate flower, enlarged.

5. Catkin of pistillate flower, 1/2.

6. Pistillate flower, enlarged.

7. Fruit, 1/2.]

+SALICACEAE+

+Balm of Gilead. Balsam+

_Populus balsamifera L._

HABIT.--A tree 60-75 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-3 feet; forming a rather narrow, open, pyramidal crown of few, slender, horizontal branches.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long, about one-half as broad; ovate to ovate-lanceolate; finely crenate-serrate; thin and firm; l.u.s.trous, dark green above, paler beneath; petioles 1-1/2 inches long, slender, terete, smooth.

FLOWERS.--April, before the leaves; dioecious; the staminate in long-stalked catkins 3-4 inches long; the pistillate in loose-flowered, long-stalked catkins 4-5 inches long; calyx 0; corolla 0; stamens 20-30, with bright red anthers; ovary short-stalked; stigmas 2, wavy-margined.

FRUIT.--May-June; 2-valved, ovoid, short-pedicelled capsules 1/4 inch long, borne in drooping catkins 4-6 inches long; seeds light brown, hairy.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud about 1 inch long, ovoid, long-pointed, brownish, resin-coated, sticky, fragrant.

BARK.--Twigs red-brown, becoming dark orange, finally green-gray; thick, grayish on old trunks, and shallowly fissured into broad, rounded ridges, often roughened by dark excrescences.

WOOD.--Light, soft, weak, close-grained, light red-brown, with thick, nearly white sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Occurs throughout the entire state, but is more abundant and of greater size in the northern portions.

HABITAT.--Prefers river bottom-lands and borders of swamps.

NOTES.--Rapid in growth. Spreads from the roots. Most useful for shelter belts. Easily transplanted. Propagated from cuttings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: +Hairy Balm of Gilead. Balsam+

1. Winter twig, 1.

2. Leaf, 1/2.

3. Staminate flowering branchlet, 1/2.

4. Staminate flower, enlarged.

5. Pistillate flowering branchlet, 1/2.

6. Pistillate flower, enlarged.

7. Fruit, 1/2.]

+SALICACEAE+

+Hairy Balm of Gilead. Balsam+

_Populus candicans Ait._ [_Populus balsamifera candicans (Ait.) Gray_]

HABIT.--A tree 50-70 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-3 feet; more spreading branches than in _P. balsamifera_, forming a broader and more open crown.

LEAVES.--Resemble those of _P. balsamifera_, but more broadly heart-shaped and more coa.r.s.ely serrate; more or less p.u.b.escent when young; petioles p.u.b.escent.

FLOWERS.--Similar to those of _P. balsamifera_.

FRUIT.--Similar to that of _P. balsamifera_.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud about 1 inch long, ovoid, long-pointed, dark red-brown, resinous throughout, viscid, very aromatic.

BARK.--Twigs reddish or olive-green, with occasional longitudinal gray lines, covered with a fragrant, gummy secretion, becoming gray-green; dark gray, rough, irregularly striate and firm on old trunks.

WOOD.--Resembles that of _P. balsamifera_, but is somewhat heavier.

DISTRIBUTION.--Indigenous to the northern portions of the state, but often cultivated and occasionally escaping in the southern portion.

HABITAT.--In a great variety of soils and situations.

NOTES.--Grows rapidly in all soils and situations. Suckers readily from the roots. Propagated from cuttings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: +Cottonwood+

1. Winter twig, 1.

2. Leaf, 1/2.

3. Staminate flowering branchlet, 1/2.