NEN Gallery

Also know as Balm of Gilead, this is one of the most confusiong group of trees. It is known as Balsam polar because of the powerful smell emitted by the fat sticky buds in spring. They can be smelt from quite a distance. A very fast growing, often planted tree, it has a small neat crown. It has greyish cracked bark and its stout twigs are hairy and slightly angled. The leaves are pale green above and yellowish below. The are hairy on the viens below and have an ace of cards shape. It is a hybrid and has no male catkins, only long female ones. It reporduces by suckering. Picture taken near Ampthill 15 April 2006.