Balsam Willow • Updated

Balsam willow thrives in cold, wet environments across Canada and the northern United States.

Are you interested in balsam willow for your landscape, or Salix pyrifolia (Balsam Willow) - Minnesota Wildflowers balsam willow

: As a dioecious species, it has separate male and female plants. The catkins appear in early spring, often with or just before the leaves. Balsam willow thrives in cold, wet environments across

: It requires moist to wet, nutrient-poor, acidic soil and does not tolerate drying out. : It requires moist to wet, nutrient-poor, acidic

: While general willow species are known as "nature's aspirin" due to their salicin content (used for pain and fever relief), balsam willow is specifically noted in some traditions for its aromatic properties and potential medicinal interest.

: Peatlands, black spruce-tamarack bogs, alder swamps, and the sandy shores of lakes and creeks.

: It usually grows as a multi-stemmed shrub reaching 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 meters) in height, though it can occasionally form a small tree up to 13–20 feet. Habitat and Ecology