Cottonwood Resin
Populus balsamifera, Cottonwood, or Balm of Gilead, is the largest broadleaf tree in the Pacific Northwest. It is a member of the Salicacea family, of which willow is also a member. The resin from the leaf bud of the cottonwood tree has a celestial scent like no other. It has anti-fungal, anti-microbial, & anti-inflammatory properties to name a few. An oil or salve made with this resin can be used to bring pain relief caused by swelling, arthritis, strains and general muscle pains.
The resin can be put directly from the bud on a cold (herpes) sore. It doesn't look pretty, and stings a little at first, but man, does it ever bring relief from the itch and does a great job with speedy healing of the lesions. If you are worried about people staring at the yellow glob on your face, you can also use the oil full strength. It works just as well, but with a lesser visual impact.
For a hot dry cough with a lot of hacking, but little relief, balm of gilead resin works well to cool the lungs, liquefy and bring up the mucous. The resin is not water soluble, making a tea or infusion would not work. How do we get the resin to the lungs? Hmmm... the resin dissolves well in honey and can be then stirred into hot water to be sipped. In addition, the resin can be dissolved in a fixed oil such as extra virgin olive oil using a mild heat method. Simply place the cottonwood buds in a crock pot, add olive oil to just cover the plant material, turn on low and with the lid off, let the heat do its work for about 4 - 5 days. Then strain and use as is or make into a salve. Incidentally, the lungs sit on the back of the ribcage (the first chicken I butchered taught me this), so when rubbing on salves for congestion relief, don't forget to rub some on the back as well as the chest and neck.
©Copyright 2004 - 2012, Suzanne Jordan
Cedar Mountain Botanicals - Cedar Mountain Herb School
suzanne@cedarmountainherbs.com
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Populus balsamifera, Cottonwood, or Balm of Gilead, is the largest broadleaf tree in the Pacific Northwest. It is a member of the Salicacea family, of which willow is also a member. The resin from the leaf bud of the cottonwood tree has a celestial scent like no other. It has anti-fungal, anti-microbial, & anti-inflammatory properties to name a few. An oil or salve made with this resin can be used to bring pain relief caused by swelling, arthritis, strains and general muscle pains.
The resin can be put directly from the bud on a cold (herpes) sore. It doesn't look pretty, and stings a little at first, but man, does it ever bring relief from the itch and does a great job with speedy healing of the lesions. If you are worried about people staring at the yellow glob on your face, you can also use the oil full strength. It works just as well, but with a lesser visual impact.
For a hot dry cough with a lot of hacking, but little relief, balm of gilead resin works well to cool the lungs, liquefy and bring up the mucous. The resin is not water soluble, making a tea or infusion would not work. How do we get the resin to the lungs? Hmmm... the resin dissolves well in honey and can be then stirred into hot water to be sipped. In addition, the resin can be dissolved in a fixed oil such as extra virgin olive oil using a mild heat method. Simply place the cottonwood buds in a crock pot, add olive oil to just cover the plant material, turn on low and with the lid off, let the heat do its work for about 4 - 5 days. Then strain and use as is or make into a salve. Incidentally, the lungs sit on the back of the ribcage (the first chicken I butchered taught me this), so when rubbing on salves for congestion relief, don't forget to rub some on the back as well as the chest and neck.
Cedar Mountain Botanicals - Cedar Mountain Herb School
suzanne@cedarmountainherbs.com
Privacy, Returns, & Disclaimer Policy