Minnesota what is Balsam Wood?

[grassfed]

I just read this article from MPR http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/08/31/business/loggers-lose-markets-mills-close/
They mention "balsam wood" but the picture shows aspen and here we call it popple.
So is "balsam wood" balsam fir or is it aspen/ balm of gilead/ popple?

[WDH]

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=401

Probably Balsam Poplar.

[barbender]

More likely it is balsam fir, and MPR put up the wrong picture. If the story was about Verso in Sartell closing down, that mill only took balsam fir, spruce, and aspen. No Balsam Poplar, or balmy or balm of gilead as it is more widely known up here.

[mad murdock]

Having grown up in the logging world just a little east of MN, I would say it is definitely meant to read Balsam Fir.  The only true fir that grows up in those parts.

[lumberjack48]

The tree with the pitch that gets in your eyes and all over your saw. The tree with all the whiskers, that you cut boughs off to make Christmas wreaths with. The tree thats used for pulpwood, saw bolts, saw logs, and all so cabin logs.