The Botany of Illinois Beach, Part 23: Recording a Resinous Rarity | Northern Nature Preserve, Illinois Beach State Park, Illinois, USA

Facing westward. Taken on the western side of the old north-south road—Google Earth still maps it as "Fulton Avenue"—a little inland from Zion's Hosah Park. This tree is part of a wooded beach-ridge community about 280 yd / 256 m from the Lake Michigan shore.

Oh no! Not another of his tree-bark photos! Doesn't this schlump realize that trees pictured on Flickr should be great captures, well-framed, breathtakingly beautiful, presented in their entirety, and, if possible, unidentified and undescribed?

Sorry, folks, but identity is the big story here, and bark patterns are a beautiful thing in themselves. To get some hint of their variety, contrast this shot with a lordly old specimen in South Carolina.

But back to the identity. This is a Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera). It's the most cold-hardy broadleaf (nonconiferous) species in North America, and it's much more commonly seen at considerably higher latitudes or altitudes.

I well remember the first time I ever came across this member of the Willow Family (Salicaceae). I was researching my Plant Explorer's Guide to New England, and had driven up to the northern tip of New Hampshire, just shy of the Canadian border. There was a stand of it, right along the eastern bank of the Third Connecticut Lake. It was not long after bud break, and the trees' young leaves were still coated with the fragrant golden-brown resin for which the species is named.

Over the years, I've seen various relict plant communities along the Lake Michigan shore of Illinois, but it's always a treat to discover yet another survivor from cooler, early-postglacial times. But nothing in that category has thrilled me more than finding this particular fellow. Its leaves, some of which are visible here on trunk sprouts, still had traces of the resin, too.

You'll find the other photos and descriptions of this series in my Botany of Illinois Beach album.

Taken in: United States / Illinois / Zion Township / Camp Logan (show map)

Taken on: June 17, 2006

Tags:

botany

dendrology

nature

parks

plants

TREES

Illinois Beach State Park

Populus balsamifera

Balsam Poplar

relict species

Salicaceae « less

Sets appears in: • Botany of Illinois Beach • Natural History: Illinois more » • Overt Tree Worship • Phytophilia « less

Groups appears in: • Botany • Midwest more » • GeoTagging Flickr • Illinois Flickrjournal • Geotagged • Illinois Wilderness • Forest & Tree • USA - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • Illinois Forest Preserves State& National Parks Conservation Nat • nature and landscape photography • Tree appreciation • North American Nature & Wildlife Photography • Plant photography • Tree Fanatics • Lake County, Illinois • Tree Photos • American Photography • Enjoy Illinois • Discovering Illinois • Nature Photography // • Geotagged: Illinois • Explore Northeastern Illinois • All U.S. State Parks • Illinois State Parks • Midwest Nature • Natural Midwest *Please invite friends* • Illinois Nature Trails • Nature Album • Illinois Nature Photography Group • Photography with a Story • Nature and all that is beautiful • The Very Great Outdoors • AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER « less

Camera: NIKON COOLPIX S4, f/3.5, 1/36 sec, 9.7mm, ISO 50 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	NIKON COOLPIX S4
Aperture:	f/3.5
Exposure Time:	0.028 sec (1/36)
Focal Length:	9.7mm
ISO:	50
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Show full info

Stats: 82 views / 1 comment