{"assessment":{"band":"Not native","fit_score":null,"native_basis":"not_native","rarity_adjustment":null,"rarity_policy":"Conservation status is displayed separately and never changes ecological scores, including when unranked.","reason":"Reported non-native to Virginia.","reference":"NC native reference cohort, method 0.6.4; not a Virginia percentile","score":null,"scoring_inputs":{"harm_penalty":0,"invasive":false,"invasive_rank":null,"native":false,"state_rank":"SNA"},"status":"not_native","version":"shared-0.6.5"},"condition_evidence":{"light":{"broad_range_note":{"review_status":"source_recorded","source_label":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","source_url":"https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/","text":"Selected source categories span deep shade to full sun; broad tolerance is source-recorded, not independently verified."},"evidence_id":"fact:c48bace1dc805c79423437a4921c3413255d8cb854f147dfc83c47cf2c975ca6","levels":[0,1,2,3,4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-2","range":[0,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_light_categories","source_label":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","source_url":"https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/","status":"mapped_selected_fact"},"moisture":{"evidence_id":"fact:8a95b41a23a1deb126e11a7720313a41eb07838b2d94616dbd0bbc3a211162f3","levels":[0,3,4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-2","range":[0,4],"scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"semantics":"documented_native_habitat_conditions","source_field":"habitat_moisture_categories","source_label":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","source_url":"https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/","status":"mapped_selected_fact"}},"evidence":{"fit_score":null,"growth_habit":null,"invasive_status":{"status":"unresolved"},"native_status":{"status":"not_native"},"occurrence":{"county_fips":["51031","51071","51097","51121","51191"],"meaning":"Recorded occurrence; not a county native-range assertion"},"quercus_score":null,"regional":{"county_fips":["51031","51071","51097","51121","51191"],"growth_habit":null,"growth_habit_source":null,"invasive":null,"invasive_evidence":[],"invasive_rank":null,"native":false,"native_basis":"state_source","native_decided_by":"va_atlas","native_evidence":[{"claim":"introduced","flag":"I","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","scope":"VA","source":"va_atlas","url":"https://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=3248"},{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","scope":"L48","source":"usda","text":"AK:N CAN:N L48:N","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/"},{"basis":"species account without the alien asterisk","claim":"native_distribution","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","scope":"AL-AR-DC-DE-FL-GA-KY-LA-MD-MS-NC-NJ-PA-SC-TN-VA-WV","source":"weakley_fsus","url":"https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/"},{"basis":"NatureServe subnational native or exotic flag for this state","claim":"introduced","concept":"broad","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","scope":"VA","source":"natureserve_explorer","srank":"SNA","url":"https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.127926/Populus_balsamifera"}],"native_explanation":"Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora (published flora, state claim) gives the value, over a broader claim from a higher tier.","native_provenance":{"flags":["over_higher_tier"],"source":"va_atlas","specificity":"state","tier":"published_flora"},"native_status":"not_native","package_native_status":"not_native","source_ids":["va_atlas:VA:3248"],"source_name":"Populus balsamifera","source_refs":["gbif_specimens","natureserve_explorer","va_atlas"],"source_url":"https://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=3248","state_rank":"SNA"},"source_refs":["gbif_specimens","natureserve_explorer","va_atlas"],"source_url":"https://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=3248","state_rank":{"value":"SNA"}},"fit_inputs":{"light":[0,4],"moisture":[0,4],"ph":[4.5,7]},"fit_provenance":{"light":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","moisture":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","ph":"USDA PLANTS"},"fit_record":{"band":"Not native","condition_evidence":{"light":{"broad_range_note":{"review_status":"source_recorded","source_label":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","source_url":"https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/","text":"Selected source categories span deep shade to full sun; 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county geography is an additional layer. Missing source traits remain unknown.","fit_provenance":{"light":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","moisture":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","ph":"USDA PLANTS"},"garden_suitability":{"default_excluded":false,"flags":[],"review_status":"not_assessed","suggestions_excluded":false},"invasive_rank":false,"native_eligible":false,"quercus_score":null,"state":"VA"},"garden_suitability":{"default_excluded":false,"flags":[],"review_status":"not_assessed","suggestions_excluded":false},"growing_observations":{"botanical_review_primary_flower_color":{"matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","review_decision":{"reason":"Single consistent flower-color category across the main reference sources; normalization of existing observations, not a fresh anatomical verification.","sources":["populus-balsamifera--usda"],"status":"source_recorded","value":"yellow"},"review_note":"Single consistent flower-color category across the main reference sources; normalization of existing observations, not a fresh anatomical verification.","review_sources":[{"approved_for_correction":true,"evidence_kind":"existing_structured_source_observation","excerpt":"{\"flower_color\": \"Yellow\"}","retrieved":"2026-09-24","sha256":null,"source_record_id":67389,"title":"USDA PLANTS","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/"}],"review_status":"source_recorded","source_label":"USDA PLANTS","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/","values":{"primary_flower_color":"yellow"}},"eol_usda":{"archive_doi":"10.5281/zenodo.22129810","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","retrieved":"2026-09-30","scope":"Nationwide approximate species characteristics; tolerance categories do not specify sun hours or moisture requirements","scoring_allowed":false,"source_label":"USDA PLANTS via EOL TraitBank","source_sha256":"04bb6a5292502ddc757bb909f4151de4b9aaea042223dfb486ffe2a94a2564db","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=POBA2","trait_evidence":[{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/47108519","field":"drought_tolerance","method":"Compares the relative tolerance of the plant to drought conditions to other species with the same growth habit from the same geographical region. 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These plant species are considered to be more drought tolerant than the species that are frequently found in the low areas with fine textured soil.","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=POBA2","trait_id":"R133-PK288756578","trait_label":"drought tolerance","value":"low tolerance"},{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/47108519","field":"moisture_use","method":"","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=POBA2","trait_id":"R133-PK288768106","trait_label":"moisture use","value":"high"},{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/47108519","field":"shade_tolerance","method":"","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=POBA2","trait_id":"R133-PK288786386","trait_label":"shade tolerance","value":"low tolerance"}],"values":{"drought_tolerance":"low tolerance","moisture_use":"high","shade_tolerance":"low tolerance"}},"floraquest_carolinas_georgia":{"matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","retrieved":"2026-10-04T13:31:16.252589+00:00","scope":{"kind":"region","region_id":"floraquest_nc_sc_ga"},"scope_note":"Original regional ecological and identification evidence; no location-specific gardening adjustments.","source_label":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","source_name":"Populus balsamifera","source_record_id":3560,"source_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_url":"https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/","trait_evidence":[{"field":"habitat_description","source_column":"HabitatText","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Floodplains, disturbed areas. 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Many of the attributions of this species to states in our area are based on misidentifications; others southward (Kentucky) appear to represent atypical hybrids or forms and are cited within somewhat isolated and often disturbed habitats (e.g., [ P. candicans ] R. Clark 22338; S. Ward, pers. obs.; 2025)."},{"field":"phenology_source_text","source_column":"Phenology","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"Organism","value":"Mar-Jun; May-Jul."},{"field":"taxonomic_synonymy","source_column":"Synonymy","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"Organism","value":"[= C, Can, FNA7, G, GrPl, Mi, NY, Pa, POWO, Tat, WV; = n/a — RAB; = Populus balsamifera L. ssp. balsamifera — K1, K4, NE, NS; > Populus balsamifera L. var. balsamifera — F; > Populus balsamifera L. var. michauxii (Dode) Henry; > Populus balsamifera L. var. subcordata Hyl. — F]"},{"field":"heliophily_index","source_column":"HIndex","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"Organism","value":5},{"field":"regional_wetland_indicators","source_column":"WetlandStatus1..5","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"Organism","value":[{"source_column":"WetlandStatus1","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus2","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus3","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus4","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus5","value":"FACW"}]},{"field":"habitat_moisture_categories","source_column":"Attr2","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":["Dry","Moist","Wet"]},{"field":"habitat_light_categories","source_column":"Attr3","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":["Partial shade","Full shade","Full sun"]},{"field":"graphic_key_source_attributes","source_column":"Attr0..25","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"GraphicKey","value":{"Attr0":"gr14","Attr1":"nc_mt,","Attr11":"pal,pin","Attr12":"unl","Attr13":"to","Attr14":"Bl14,Bl5,Bl9","Attr15":"lh","Attr16":"n","Attr17":"nd","Attr18":"nd","Attr19":"gr,nd,ye","Attr2":"Dry,Moist,Wet","Attr20":"n","Attr21":"DSS","Attr3":"Part,Shade,Sun","Attr3a":"y,n","Attr4":" 2-7","Attr5":"t","Attr6":"n","Attr7":"n","Attr8":"alt","Attr9":"sim"}},{"field":"fruit_season_begin","source_column":"Phenology","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"Organism","value":"May"},{"field":"fruit_season_end","source_column":"Phenology","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"Organism","value":"July"},{"field":"bloom_season","source_column":"Phenology","source_database_sha256":"684f6b364ff9f3023aa61ed02ae50f6f6d6d4d3bcf76847b78ab769ae0453469","source_record_id":3560,"source_table":"Organism","value":"March to June"}],"values":{"bloom_season":"March to June","fruit_season_begin":"May","fruit_season_end":"July","geographic_range_description":"Newfoundland and Labrador (Labrador) and Alaska south to Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon; scattered farther south, perhaps primarily by introduction. Ranges south to s. Pennsylvania (Rhoads & Block 2007), e. and c. Kentucky (Clark et al. 2005), Virginia (Kartesz 2023), and w. North Carolina (Yancey County, D. Leslie, pers.comm. 2025). Also reported for n. Georgia (Jones & Coile 1988) and provisionally for South Carolina (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; others southward (Kentucky) appear to represent atypical hybrids or forms and are cited within somewhat isolated and often disturbed habitats (e.g., [ P. candicans ] R. Clark 22338; S. Ward, pers. obs.; 2025).","graphic_key_source_attributes":{"Attr0":"gr14","Attr1":"nc_mt,","Attr11":"pal,pin","Attr12":"unl","Attr13":"to","Attr14":"Bl14,Bl5,Bl9","Attr15":"lh","Attr16":"n","Attr17":"nd","Attr18":"nd","Attr19":"gr,nd,ye","Attr2":"Dry,Moist,Wet","Attr20":"n","Attr21":"DSS","Attr3":"Part,Shade,Sun","Attr3a":"y,n","Attr4":" 2-7","Attr5":"t","Attr6":"n","Attr7":"n","Attr8":"alt","Attr9":"sim"},"habitat_description":"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.","habitat_light_categories":["Partial shade","Full shade","Full sun"],"habitat_moisture_categories":["Dry","Moist","Wet"],"heliophily_index":5,"phenology_source_text":"Mar-Jun; May-Jul.","regional_wetland_indicators":[{"source_column":"WetlandStatus1","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus2","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus3","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus4","value":"FACW"},{"source_column":"WetlandStatus5","value":"FACW"}],"taxonomic_synonymy":"[= C, Can, FNA7, G, GrPl, Mi, NY, Pa, POWO, Tat, WV; = n/a — RAB; = Populus balsamifera L. ssp. balsamifera — K1, K4, NE, NS; > Populus balsamifera L. var. balsamifera — F; > Populus balsamifera L. var. michauxii (Dode) Henry; > Populus balsamifera L. var. subcordata Hyl. — F]"}},"minnesota_wildflowers":{"matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","retrieved":"2026-10-04T02:38:43.356363+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Source-reported species characteristics; not a location-specific estimate.","source_label":"Minnesota Wildflowers","source_sha256":"12068e8632138136f000eecfe99cefd3ac395f7035781b380f874f76a33d1045","source_url":"https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/tree/balsam-poplar","trait_evidence":[{"expected_source_name":"Populus balsamifera","field":"height_description","original_field":"height","record_id":"trait:199e6778b10f679b0dc78ef348244da2482ac3ab8b9819fb2410c16f83e1d648","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:38:43.356363+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"minnesota","source_name":"Populus balsamifera","source_sha256":"12068e8632138136f000eecfe99cefd3ac395f7035781b380f874f76a33d1045","source_url":"https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/tree/balsam-poplar","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:3f5101ec-efc2-5946-848c-72afa61c64f6","value":{"max":80,"min":40,"unit":"feet"}},{"expected_source_name":"Populus balsamifera","field":"life_cycle","original_field":"life_cycle","record_id":"trait:a36e924ac9b94adb8c96732d76dc47d175593029b04ad85032ae7e1ce6f5f3aa","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:38:43.356363+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"minnesota","source_name":"Populus balsamifera","source_sha256":"12068e8632138136f000eecfe99cefd3ac395f7035781b380f874f76a33d1045","source_url":"https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/tree/balsam-poplar","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:3f5101ec-efc2-5946-848c-72afa61c64f6","value":["perennial woody"]}],"values":{"height_description":"40–80 feet","life_cycle":["perennial woody"]}},"usda":{"matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","retrieved":"2026-09-24","scope":"Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary","source_label":"USDA PLANTS","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/","usda_id":67389,"values":{"bloom_season":"Late Spring","flower_color":"Yellow","foliage_color":"Yellow-Green","fruit_season_begin":"Spring","fruit_season_end":"Summer","growth_architecture":"Single Stem","growth_rate":"Rapid","height_ft":80,"leaf_retention":"No"}}},"light_range":["deep shade","full sun"],"light_source":"Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition","native_synthesis":{"claims":[{"claim":"introduced","flag":"I","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","scope":"VA","source":"va_atlas","url":"https://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=3248"},{"claim":"native","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","scope":"L48","source":"usda","text":"AK:N CAN:N L48:N","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/"},{"basis":"species account without the alien asterisk","claim":"native_distribution","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","scope":"AL-AR-DC-DE-FL-GA-KY-LA-MD-MS-NC-NJ-PA-SC-TN-VA-WV","source":"weakley_fsus","url":"https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/"},{"basis":"NatureServe subnational native or exotic flag for this state","claim":"introduced","concept":"broad","matched_name":"Populus balsamifera","scope":"VA","source":"natureserve_explorer","srank":"SNA","url":"https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.127926/Populus_balsamifera"}],"county_native_range":"unresolved","decided_by":"va_atlas","explanation":"Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora (published flora, state claim) gives the value, over a broader claim from a higher tier.","label":"Not native to Virginia","provenance":{"flags":["over_higher_tier"],"source":"va_atlas","specificity":"state","tier":"published_flora"},"rule":"fact-hierarchy-2","status":"not_native"},"source_name":"Populus balsamifera","taxon_id":"taxon:3f5101ec-efc2-5946-848c-72afa61c64f6","revision":"publish:cdb975f5-333c-4482-92bd-514ef43ee9c3","photos":[{"id":"populus-balsamifera-3915942","src":"/api/photos/image/651d0d66ac147e7683de3f0d12460767f7bc95e6cd857bc4acf631b06a5c95d8.jpg","view":"leaf","alt":"Populus balsamifera — leaf photograph","width":960,"height":1418,"artist":"Lynden Gerdes @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. 1995. Northeast wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. Northeast National Technical Center, Chester.","license":"Public domain","license_url":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Public_domain","source_url":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Populus_balsamifera.jpg","changes":"Wikimedia thumbnail; no crop or retouching","kind":"photo"}]}