The Balsam Poplar tree grows throughout the boreal forest and is found in abundance here is Alberta along riverbanks and on abandoned farmland. The resin produced by the Poplar for protection in winter, loaded with an abundance of healing goodness, is ripe for picking by early spring. Freshly picked buds can be transformed into macerations, tinctures and tea, or stored in the freezer for later use. This tree, from the willow family, is commonly macerated in oil to produce “Balm of Gilead”. Due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties it is excellent to use externally for muscle aches and joint pains, burns, minor cuts, eczema, psoriasis, impetigo, athlete’s foot, respiratory congestion and hemorrhoids.

The wonderful book “ The Boreal Forest: Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North. A Guide to Harvesting, Preserving and Preparing”, by Beverly Gray, has a very descriptive write up about the Balsam Poplar along with an easy recipe to make your very own “Balm of Gilead”, or as Gray calls it, “Boreal Balm”. Alongside beautiful photographs and illustrations, this book contains profiles for commonly found herbs, berries and trees in the northern boreal forest. Each monograph includes botanical descriptions, harvest time, medicinal actions, preparations, uses, food uses, nutritional profiles and much more. In addition, this book includes an array of healthy recipes and beautifully organized reference charts. The Boreal Herbal is an excellent resource of what Mother Nature has to offer us in our own backyard!

Don’t worry, if you’re not that outdoorsy we have a lovely wild  Poplar bud absolute maceration 18% in jojoba oil. Further dilute to 2-4% in your favourite carrier oil and use externally on sore muscles, dry and itchy skin conditions and minor cuts and burns. People have also found it helpful topically over the lungs to aid in respiratory congestion.

SAFETY

Contraindicated in those with an allergy to aspirin, as it contains salicylates.