Contact your local forestry field office before collecting to confirm whether there is still a need, get collection tips, or ask about potential collection locations and opportunities. Be sure to check regulations and follow safe practices. Access current seed and cone pricing.
Cone identification
Cones are about 2 to 4 inches long, barrel-shaped, and upright on the branches.
Collect when cones are gray-brown.
Predicted collection window: Mid-August to September.
Balsam fir cones that are ready to harvest are 2 to 4 inches long, gray-brown, and free of damage.
How to collect ripe cones
Collect only closed, ripe cones. Seeds in cones can mature before cones appear fully ripe, so make sure to do a few cut tests to see if there is mature seed inside.
Only collect from trees of natural origin, not from trees purchased at a nursery.
Hand pick from standing trees. Snip cones at the base with clippers or tree pole pruners. Cones tend to be higher on the tree. Branches are brittle, so climbing is not recommended. Gloves are recommended due to resin.
Collect from felled trees or squirrel caches only if cones are closed and have no insect damage.
Ripe cones can disintegrate in windy conditions.
Quality check: Slice a few cones in half to see if they contain at least 10 seeds per cone.
Mature seed should be firm and not milky. Dark brown seed coat with a firm white embryo inside.
Do not collect cones that are unripe or have unripe seeds inside, have insect holes, are already opening, or are cones from previous years that persist on branches.
Quick tree identification
Balsam fir needles are one half to 1 inch long, flat with rounded tips, dark green on top with two silvery white stripes underneath. Resinous and fragrant when crushed.
Balsam fir bark is smooth and gray with blisters filled with resin. These trees are mostly located in northern Minnesota, with a few patches scattered in southeastern Minnesota. Very shade-tolerant.
Forecasting
Big cone crops occur every two to four years.
Cones develop in spring and mature in summer.
Look for purple unripe cones starting in late May to prepare for late summer collection.
Handling and storage
Store cones in a cool, dry area to reduce mold and prevent opening. Cones can open quickly in humidity and release seeds.
Deliver them to a forestry area office as soon as possible. Contact your local forestry field office to schedule a drop-off.
Do not collect balsam fir cones that are already opening, fully green or have insect holes.
Look-alike species to avoid
🚫 Norway spruce is often found in urban settings. Needles measure up to 1 inch long. Cones are larger, measuring up to 6 inches. Needles are shiny and dark green with branches that look droopy.
🚫 Colorado blue spruce is often found in urban settings. Blue spruce needles are a distinct silver-blue color compared to balsam fir needles which are a bluish green color.
🚫 Douglas fir has needles that are silvery green. Cones are larger, around 4 to 5 inches, with a golden brown hue and unique scales with three-pronged bracts that look like flat chicken feet.
Photo courtesy of Deborah Freeman/CC BY-SA 2.0