Abies balsamea
(L.) P. Mill.
Balsam Fir
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Tom Field, CC BY 4.0
Nick Kleinschmidt, CC BY 4.0
Patrice Dupont, CC BY 4.0
treelogical, CC BY 4.0
Loïc Mathieu, CC BY 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.152370
Element CodePGPIN01020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumConiferophyta
ClassPinopsida
OrderPinales
FamilyPinaceae
GenusAbies
Other Common Names
balsam fir (EN) Sapin baumier (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
Abies balsamea is a widespread species of Canada and the northeastern U.S., occurring southward in the Appalachians to West Virginia and adjacent northwestern Virginia. The similar Abies fraseri, of the high mountains of southern Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, differs primarily in its longer, projecting cone-bracts. Plants intermediate between these two species have been called Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis or Abies x phanerolepis; opinions differ on whether they are relicts of the original divergence or recent interspecific hybrids; such plants occur in West Virginia and are reported irregularly northward as far as eastern Canada. LEM 10Aug00.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-02-04
Change Date1983-11-03
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont | S5 | Yes |
| West Virginia | S2 | Yes |
| Rhode Island | SNR | Yes |
| Connecticut | S1 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | SNR | Yes |
| Virginia | S1 | Yes |
| Massachusetts | SNR | Yes |
| Wisconsin | SNR | Yes |
| Minnesota | SNR | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | S3 | Yes |
| Maryland | S1 | Yes |
| Maine | S5 | Yes |
| New Jersey | S1 | Yes |
| New York | S5 | Yes |
| Ohio | SNR | Yes |
| Michigan | SNR | Yes |
| Iowa | S1 | Yes |
CanadaN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Saskatchewan | S5 | Yes |
| New Brunswick | S5 | Yes |
| Alberta | S5 | Yes |
| Labrador | S5 | Yes |
| Ontario | S5 | Yes |
| Nova Scotia | S5 | Yes |
| Island of Newfoundland | S5 | Yes |
| Prince Edward Island | S5 | Yes |
| Manitoba | S5 | Yes |
| Quebec | S5 | Yes |
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (44)
Maine (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Caribou - Speckled Ext | White Mountain National Forest | 5,988 |
Minnesota (8)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Baker - Homer - Brule Lakes | Superior National Forest | 6,712 |
| Brule Lake - Eagle Mountain | Superior National Forest | 12,380 |
| Cabin Creek | Superior National Forest | 6,071 |
| Hegman Lakes | Superior National Forest | 675 |
| Kawishiwi Lake To Sawbill | Superior National Forest | 15,305 |
| Mississippi Creek | Superior National Forest | 5,717 |
| Phantom Lake | Superior National Forest | 6,521 |
| Tait Lake | Superior National Forest | 6,327 |
New Hampshire (15)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Carr Mountain | White Mountain National Forest | 17,110 |
| Cherry Mountain | White Mountain National Forest | 8,766 |
| Dartmouth Range | White Mountain National Forest | 9,233 |
| Great Gulf Ext. | White Mountain National Forest | 15,110 |
| Jobildunk | White Mountain National Forest | 3,660 |
| Kearsarge | White Mountain National Forest | 4,554 |
| Kilkenny | White Mountain National Forest | 28,766 |
| Kinsman Mountain | White Mountain National Forest | 8,999 |
| Mt. Wolf - Gordon Pond | White Mountain National Forest | 11,846 |
| Pemigewasset | White Mountain National Forest | 32,255 |
| Pemigewasset Ext | White Mountain National Forest | 15,840 |
| Presidential - Dry River Ext | White Mountain National Forest | 10,555 |
| Sandwich Range | White Mountain National Forest | 16,797 |
| Waterville | White Mountain National Forest | 4,312 |
| Wild River | White Mountain National Forest | 46,878 |
Vermont (6)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bread Loaf | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 1,768 |
| Devil's Den 09083 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 9,169 |
| Griffith Lake 09084 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 1,833 |
| Lye Brook Addition 09085 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 1,111 |
| Wilder Mountain 09082 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 8,759 |
| Woodford 09086 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 2,456 |
West Virginia (5)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Canaan Loop | Monongahela National Forest | 7,867 |
| Cranberry Addition | Monongahela National Forest | 11,123 |
| Dolly Sods Roaring Plain | Monongahela National Forest | 13,392 |
| Dry River (WV) | George Washington National Forest | 7,331 |
| Falls Of Hills Creek | Monongahela National Forest | 6,925 |
Wisconsin (5)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 09011 - Flynn Lake Study Area | Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest | 5,951 |
| 09154 - St. Peters Dome | Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest | 4,002 |
| 09166 - East Torch | Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest | 4,647 |
| 09180 - Perch Lake | Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest | 2,390 |
| 09182 - Pentoga Road | Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest | 5,008 |
References (3)
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xvi + 475 pp.
- Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
- Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agriculture Handbook No. 541. U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 375 pp.