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Balsam Poplar

Populus balsamifera

Found in floodplain and bottomland forests; roadsides, fields and disturbed ground; forests and woodlands. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

67
Strong

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
About 80 feet
Light
Partial shade, Full shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to wet
Will it fit your yard?

Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
March to June
Fruiting season
May to July

Not yet recorded · Spread

Recorded in 2 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

250CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Populus

  • Limenitis archippusViceroy
  • Limenitis arthemisRed-spotted Purple
  • Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
  • Acronicta griseaGray Dagger
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
Show all 250
  • Acronicta innotataUnmarked Dagger
  • Acronicta insularisHenry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar
  • Acronicta lepusculinaCottonwood Dagger
  • Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
  • Acronicta noctivagaNight-Wandering Dagger, Burglar Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Acronicta sperataHopeful Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
  • Agonopterix argillaceaClay-Colored Agonopterix
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
  • Americerura scitiscriptaBlack-Etched Prominent
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Amphipyra glabellaSmooth Amphipyra
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Anarta trifoliiThe Nutmeg, Clover Cutworm
  • Anathix rallaDotted Sallow
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Anisota virginiensisPink-striped Oakworm Moth
  • Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips cerasivoranaCherry Tent Caterpillar, Cherry Worm, Ugly Nest Caterpillar
  • Archips fervidanaOak Webworm Moth
  • Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
  • Arctia parthenosSt. Lawrence Tiger Moth
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Autographa amplaLarge Looper Moth, Broken-Banded Y, Climbing Looper
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Besma quercivorariaOak Besma
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Cabera erythemariaYellow-Dusted Cream Moth
  • Cabera variolariaPink-Striped Willow Spanworm Moth, Vestal Moth, The Vestal
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
  • Caloptilia stigmatellaPoplar Caloptilia
  • Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
  • Catocala amatrixThe Sweetheart, Sweetheart Underwing
  • Catocala blandulaCharming Underwing
  • Catocala caraDarling Underwing
  • Catocala cerogamaYellow-Banded Underwing
  • Catocala concumbensSleepy Underwing, Pink Underwing
  • Catocala juncturaJoined Underwing, Arizonia Underwing
  • Catocala marmorataMarbled Underwing
  • Catocala meskeiMeske's Underwing
  • Catocala partaMother Underwing
  • Catocala relictaWhite Underwing
  • Catocala unijugaOnce-Married Underwing
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Celypha nr.Celypha Moth
  • Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
  • Chaetaglaea sericeaSilky Sallow
  • Charadra deridensThe Laugher
  • Chlosyne nycteisSilvery Checkerspot
  • Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
  • Choristoneura fumiferanaSpruce Budworm Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
  • Clostera albosigmaSigmoid Prominent
  • Clostera apicalisPoplar Tent Caterpillar Moth, Toothed Clostera
  • Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
  • Coelodasys apicalisPlain Schizura
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Coleophora multipulvellaApple Pistol Casebearer, Pistol Casebearer Moth
  • Colocasia propinquilineaClosebanded Yellowhorn
  • Condylorrhiza vestigialisThe Alamo Moth
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Cucullia intermediaIntermediate Cucullia, Goldenrod Cutworm, Dashed Paint, Intermediate Hooded Owlet Moth
  • Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
  • Drepana arcuataArched Hooktip, Masked Birch Caterpillar
  • Dysstroma citrataDark Marbled Carpet
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Epimecis hortariaTulip-Tree Beauty
  • Epirrita autumnataThe Autumnal Moth, November Moth
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Euchlaena deductariaForked Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena irrariaLeast-Marked Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena tigrinariaMotted Euchlaena
  • Eucirroedia pampinaScalloped Sallow
  • Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
  • Eulithis propulsataCurrant Eulithis
  • Eupithecia columbiataColumbia Pug
  • Eupithecia palpataSmall Pine Looper, Palpata Pug
  • Eupsilia deviaLost Sallow
  • Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
  • Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
  • Eurois occultaGreat Grey Dart, Great Brocade
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Evora hemidesmaSpirea Leaftier
  • Fishia illocataWandering Brocade
  • Furcula cinereaGray Furcula
  • Furcula occidentalisWestern Furcula
  • Furcula scolopendrinaHourglass Furcula, Zigzag Furcula Moth
  • Gesta icelusDreamy Duskywing
  • Glena cribratariaDotted Gray
  • Gluphisia avimaculaFour-Spotted Gluphisia
  • Gluphisia septentrionisCommon Gluphisia
  • Gypsonoma haimbachianaCottonwood Twig Borer
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Haploa contiguaThe Neighbor
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Hesperumia sulphurariaSulphur Moth
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Ipimorpha pleonectusaEven-Lined Sallow, Blackcheeked Tentmaker
  • Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
  • Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
  • Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
  • Korscheltellus gracilisConifer Swift Moth, Graceful Ghost Moth
  • Lacanobia grandisGrand Arches
  • Lacanobia subjunctaSpeckled Arches, Subdues Arches, Harnessed Mamestra, Speckled Cutworm Moth, Grand Arches?(incorrectly)
  • Lacinipolia lustralisLustral "Mamestra"
  • Lacinipolia renigeraBristly Ground Cat, Bristly Cutworm Moth, Kidney Spotted "Mamestra"
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • Lithomoia germanaAmerican Brindle
  • Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
  • Lithophane baileyiBailey's Pinion
  • Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Lithophane dispositaGreen-Gray Pinion, Dashed Grey Pinion
  • Lithophane groteiGrote's Pinion, Green Fruit Worm
  • Lithophane heminaHemina Pinion
  • Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
  • Lithophane laticinereaBroad Ashen Pinion, Russet Spotted Pinion, Triple-Spotted Pinion
  • Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
  • Lithophane semiustaSinged Pinion
  • Lithophane unimodaDowdy Pinion
  • Lobophora nivigerataPowdered Bigwing, Two-Lined Aspen Looper
  • Lomographa semiclarataBluish Spring Moth, Wildcherry Looper
  • Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
  • Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
  • Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
  • Macaria exauspicataSpeckled Granite
  • Macaria ulsterataBirch Angle, Peacock Moth
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Macrurocampa marthesiaMottled Prominent
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
  • Metanema determinataDark Metanema
  • Metanema inatomariaPale Metanema
  • Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
  • Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
  • Nycteola frigidanaFrigid Baileya, Frigid Nycteola, Frigid Owlet
  • Nycteola metaspilellaSienna-Dotted Nycteola, Forgotten Frigid Owlet
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
  • Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
  • Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
  • Olethreutes fasciatanaBanded Olethreutes
  • Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthosia revictaSubdued Quaker
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
  • Pachysphinx modestaModest Sphinx, The Big Poplar Sphinx
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
  • Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Papilio canadensisCanadian Tiger Swallowtail
  • Paranthrene tabaniformisDusky Clearwing
  • Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
  • Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
  • Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
  • Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
  • Pheosia rimosaBlack-Rimmed Prominent, Mirrowbacked Caterpillar
  • Pheosidea elegansElegant Prominent
  • Phiaris glacianaFrosted Olethreutes
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
  • Phyllocnistis populiellaAspen Serpentine Leafminer
  • Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
  • Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
  • Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
  • Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
  • Plagodis serinariaLemon Plagodis
  • Pococera aplastellaAspen Webworm Moth
  • Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
  • Polia nimbosaStormy Arches
  • Polia purpurissataPurple Arches
  • Polygonia interrogationisQuestion Mark
  • Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Protitame virginalisVirgin Moth
  • Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
  • Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
  • Psilocorsis quercicellaOak Leaftier
  • Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
  • Pyromorpha dimidiataOrange-Patched Smoky Moth
  • Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
  • Pyrrhia exprimensPurple-Lined Sallow, Purple-Lined Sun Moth
  • Raphia fraterThe Brother, Yellow-Marked Caterpillar
  • Rheumaptera hastataSpear-Marked Black Moth, Spear Mark
  • Rheumaptera prunivorataFerguson's Scallop Shell, Cherry Scallop Shell
  • Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Scoliopteryx libatrixThe Herald
  • Selenia kentariaKent's Geometer
  • Sicya maculariaSharp-Lined Yellow
  • Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
  • Sphinx chersisGreat Ash Sphinx
  • Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
  • Synanthedon acerrubriRed Maple Borer, Maple Clearwing
  • Taniva albolineanaSpruce Needleminer Moth
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
  • Venusia cambricaThe Welsh Wave
  • Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
  • Xylena curvimaculaDot-and-Dash Swordgrass Moth
  • Xylena nuperaRed Swordgrass Moth, American Swordgrass Moth, False Armyworm
  • Xystopeplus rufagoRed-Winged Sallow
  • Zale minereaColorful Zale
  • Zanclognatha jacchusalisWavy-Lined Zanclognatha, Wavy-Lined Fan-Foot
  • Dichomeris ventrellus
  • Framinghamia helvalis
  • Rhopobota finitimana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
9BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Populus

  • Alectoris chukarChukar
  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
  • Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
  • Lagopus lagopusWillow Ptarmigan
  • Lagopus mutaRock Ptarmigan
  • Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
  • Zenaida asiaticaWhite-winged Dove
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Salicaceae
Flower color
Yellow
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
Yellow-green
Fruit begins
May
Fruit ends
July
Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Balsampappel; Hackmatack; Tacamahac

Conservation status

West Virginia rankS1
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources