Cones upright on branches, purple, oblong; length 2" to 4"; become ripe in the autumn of the first year; cone scale wider than long; seeds have very wide wings, and when ripe, fall together with scales of cone, leaving hard central axis standing upright on twig like a spike.
For more information, see
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/trees_shrubs/conifers/balsamfir.html.