Meet BALM OF GILEAD: Tree Bud Medicine Extraordinaire (Video Lesson)

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Meet BALM OF GILEAD: Tree Bud Medicine Extraordinaire

Balm of Gilead has buds that heal and soothe, offering us some of the most gummy therapeutics in town. Scientifically called Populus xjackii, this is a hybrid of P. deltoides x P. balsamifera. Learn to ID, harvest, and use these healing trees.

If you don’t have this exact species of poplar (Populus) there are many close relatives of this tree genus that contain similar therapeutic properties. Just make sure the buds are highly resinous, sticky, and strongly fragrant.

Therapeutics
These highly aromatic, highly resinous, gummy buds are filled with a dense soup of plant chemicals that offers analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, expectorant, and vulnerary actions. Use topically as a salve or oil for sore, achy, strained, arthritic, burned, inflamed, and infected skin conditions. Can also be used internally for immune stimulating during colds, and coughs and more. Note: it has overlapping constituents with propolis, as the bees gather the antimicrobial poplar bud-sealing resins to make propolis.

Harvest Notes
Harvest buds when they are fully formed but before they start to open (now [late winter] and for the next few weeks should be perfect for us in the NE USA). Keep in mind that the buds should have the rich resinous medicine we are looking for, so check to make sure you have the sticky, strongly scented ones.

Prep Notes
To make an herbal infused oil, I dry buds overnight, leaving them by the woodstove to reduce moisture, or perhaps use a dehydrator set on [85 or 95]F for several hours. Then add buds to a very clean, and absolutely dry jar. Cover the buds with org. cold press olive oil and tightly seal the jar. Steep (macerate) for 8 weeks, ideally in a warm location (aiming for 98F for the first few days). Then pour off oil and use. Formula note: 1:3 herb to oil ratio. Seems we can reuse the steeped buds and steep again with more oil. I also cheat and start using the oil as soon as it takes on a strong odor and color which can happen in a couple of days.

To make tincture, use a high alcohol menstruum, such as a 140 proof with 1 part herb to 3 parts menstruum.

Habitat
Populus x Jackii can be found in USDA growing zones 2–6; preferring wet soils, along the edges of waterways, and ditches, in full sun to part shade. Other related Populus species can be found in other parts of the world and used similarly. This species we see here creates a thicket by sending out its roots.

ID Notes
Buds: The plump, odoriferous end / terminal buds should measure ½” or larger, and when crushed leave a yellow-that-turns-brown resin on your fingers. Remember buds are spicy fragrant, and gummy when crushed. Buds are pointy with overlapping scales.
Twig arrangement: alternate.
Alternate leaf scar, bud and hence leaf arrangement.

Cautionary Note
Folks with salicylate allergies (aspirin) should proceed with caution.
Please research any new food or medicine, go slowly, learn, and discuss using it with your healthcare provider.

Cleanup Note
Oil and rubbing alcohol work well to remove the resin from hands and equipment.

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