Feature Plant
The sweet smell of spring...
Populus balsamifera
A common tree that occurs throughout Alberta, the smell of balsam poplar is a sure sign of spring. Shortly after flowering, the leaves emerge coated with a sticky sweet-smelling resin that also coats the scales of the leaf buds (and sticks to cars parked below). In riverine forests, where the trees are large and numerous that wonderful smell pervades the atmosphere almost as strongly as the smell of wolf willow that will soon follow. You might have to risk getting a sticky nose to fully appreciate it, if there's only one tree. My advice: park your car somewhere else and go for a walk in the woods!
Another name for the tree is Balm of Gilead, a name that implies calming medicinal properties. In many places, the local name is “bamagila” or just “bam”, both contractions of Balm of Gilead. The resin, and also the inner bark in spring, is traditionally used by indiginous people for a variety of purposes (from sore skin, sore throat, and lung ailments to diabetes) as a lotion dissolved in oil, as a tea, or in tincture. While citing some of these uses, Kershaw warns that some sources say it's mildly poisonous. Other books on edible wild plants, apart from herbalist publications, do not mention it.
Photo and text by Jim Posey
Kershaw, Linda, “Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies”, Lone Pine Publishing, 2000
Grants
The mission for ANPC is “to effectively promote the value of native plants and habitats through education, research, advocacy and getting our hands dirty.” From time to time, funds beyond those needed to run the organization become available. As this occurs, they may be distributed, at the discretion of the board, through the ANPC Small Grants Program. Any proposed projects must further goals and objectives of the Society.
Grants may be given for research, study and appreciation of native plants supporting plant conservation.
The following:
- Maximum amount of grant $1000
- Purpose:
- stimulate research, conservation and education activities that help foster appreciation of Alberta native plants
- intended to promoted conservation
- must be consistent with the goals and objectives of the society
- Grant MAY cover the following:
- travel, meals and lodging costs directly related to the project
- costs of supplies and services (e.g.. photocopying) directly related to the project
- Grant WILL NOT cover the following:
- equipment purchase
- expenses that are not essential to the project
- The grant will NOT NORMALLY cover wages, although some exceptions may apply
