Post by Jenny on Jan 30, 2006 2:53:03 GMT -5
Have any of you ever used cottonwood buds --- often called Balm of Gilead buds or balsam poplar (Populus species)? If you have, you know this is the time to pick the buds.
I just wanted to pass on my tips for this plant. I know that winter is not usually the time we think of gathering plants, but this is the perfect time for collecting the sticky cottonwood buds. If you've ever tried picking them in the fall, or during a warm spell in the winter, you know it's messy, slow, and resins are wasted. When it's about 20 degrees or colder, the buds just snap off.
The main way I've used the buds, so far, is in salves. (if anybody's interested, I'll make a separate post about making salves, tinctures, etc.) Like comfrey, chickweed, and many other herbs, salve made with cottonwood buds is great for chapped lips, faces, hands, etc. I prefer to use it only for a few days at the time when my skin is really chapped. It seems to heal chapped lips quicker than the others. But, after three or four days, for me anyway, it get a little irritating. Most of the time I use something else, like comfrey salve. But, if I forget to use any for several days during the dry winter, my lips and hands get really dry and cracked. Balm of Gilead heals almost instantly. Then after a day or so, I go back to one of the other salves.
It also works great for diaper rash, or any skin irritation. I've never tried it for burns because I think Chickweed is the absolute best for that. But, I have read that it can be used to soothe and heal burns. It works fast, so it usually isn't needed for more than a couple of days. If I use it too long on my babies, it starts to irritate their skin, though. I've never heard of this problem from other people, although I have read that some folks develop allergies to it. Could be from the base I used. I didn't have much of any kind of oil on hand at the time I last made it, so I melted shortening and heated the buds in that for a day or so. Now I have some olive oil and beeswax, so I'll use that and see if it has the same result. I still use it because it works so well, just careful not to use it for long stretches.
Balsam poplar, like willow, contains salicin, which is an analgesic and antipyretic. It works like asprin to relieve pain and fever, but without the side effects. ;D Last summer, I made a massage oil containing cottonwood buds, cow parsnip roots and comfrey root in a base of olive oil. It's kind of strong, so be careful where you use it. When I rubbed a little on my lips, it burned a little. But, it helped sore arm muscles after digging our root cellar. The smell isn't bad, but not the most pleasant either. I think because of the cow parsnip.
I haven't yet tried it internally. I'm planning to make a tincture from the buds this winter. Because of the salicin, it should help a headache or any pain asprin would help. It has antiinflamatory properties. I've read that it's also good for fevers. Our family rarely gets sick, but it would be good to have on hand, especially to take along when we have to go to Anchorage.
Willow and rosemary work well for headaches. Since cottonwood has similar properties, I think a combination tincture would be very good. Willow usually takes longer to work but lasts quite awhile. Rosemary relieves pain very quickly, but wears off fast. I don't know yet how cottonwood works, but I'll try it and let you know. BTW, cottonwood resin is oily, so the tincture would best be made with something of a high alcohol content. I think Everclear burns too much, so when I do make tinctures with it, I squirt the amount I want in a little hot or boiling water, then let the alcohol evaporate a few minutes. For most things I use an 80 proof brandy or vodka, but 100 proof vodka works best for oily herbs, like cottonwood.
I've also read that the Balm of Gilead buds make an excellent cough syrup/expectorant mixed with honey. I've heard the same claim for spruce, but have not found it overly helpful. I usually mix a couple Tbsp. each of lemon juice and honey with about 1 1/2 to 2 cups very hot water. If a cough from a chest cold has been keeping me awake, I'll drink about half the mixture right before going to bed, then put the glass beside the bed. It usually works long enough to let me get at least several hours sleep. If I wake up during the night, I'll finish the glass, then go back to sleep. I think it works better than store-bought things, and it's much safer and cheaper. Anyway, when I gather buds for tincture, I'll pick enough to make a jar of cough syrup to keep on hand.
Somewhere in the back of my head, I think I remember someone telling me they mix Balm of Gilead buds with chopped ginger root and make a tincture for nausea and motion sickness. I know that ginger works very well for that, as does Angelica root. I always chew on a tiny piece of dried angelica root just before getting on a bush plane. Cow parsnip root tincture works just as well for any digestive problem, but I think the flavor is terribly potent! Angelica is pretty strong, too, but not near as bad as cow parsnip, in my opinion.
Well, that's what I think about the medicinal uses of cottonwood buds. Oh, almost forgot. The inner bark is supposed to have higher concentrations of the salicin, but the buds are so much easier to get, and they work great! Hope this is helpful.
Jenny
I just wanted to pass on my tips for this plant. I know that winter is not usually the time we think of gathering plants, but this is the perfect time for collecting the sticky cottonwood buds. If you've ever tried picking them in the fall, or during a warm spell in the winter, you know it's messy, slow, and resins are wasted. When it's about 20 degrees or colder, the buds just snap off.
The main way I've used the buds, so far, is in salves. (if anybody's interested, I'll make a separate post about making salves, tinctures, etc.) Like comfrey, chickweed, and many other herbs, salve made with cottonwood buds is great for chapped lips, faces, hands, etc. I prefer to use it only for a few days at the time when my skin is really chapped. It seems to heal chapped lips quicker than the others. But, after three or four days, for me anyway, it get a little irritating. Most of the time I use something else, like comfrey salve. But, if I forget to use any for several days during the dry winter, my lips and hands get really dry and cracked. Balm of Gilead heals almost instantly. Then after a day or so, I go back to one of the other salves.
It also works great for diaper rash, or any skin irritation. I've never tried it for burns because I think Chickweed is the absolute best for that. But, I have read that it can be used to soothe and heal burns. It works fast, so it usually isn't needed for more than a couple of days. If I use it too long on my babies, it starts to irritate their skin, though. I've never heard of this problem from other people, although I have read that some folks develop allergies to it. Could be from the base I used. I didn't have much of any kind of oil on hand at the time I last made it, so I melted shortening and heated the buds in that for a day or so. Now I have some olive oil and beeswax, so I'll use that and see if it has the same result. I still use it because it works so well, just careful not to use it for long stretches.
Balsam poplar, like willow, contains salicin, which is an analgesic and antipyretic. It works like asprin to relieve pain and fever, but without the side effects. ;D Last summer, I made a massage oil containing cottonwood buds, cow parsnip roots and comfrey root in a base of olive oil. It's kind of strong, so be careful where you use it. When I rubbed a little on my lips, it burned a little. But, it helped sore arm muscles after digging our root cellar. The smell isn't bad, but not the most pleasant either. I think because of the cow parsnip.
I haven't yet tried it internally. I'm planning to make a tincture from the buds this winter. Because of the salicin, it should help a headache or any pain asprin would help. It has antiinflamatory properties. I've read that it's also good for fevers. Our family rarely gets sick, but it would be good to have on hand, especially to take along when we have to go to Anchorage.
Willow and rosemary work well for headaches. Since cottonwood has similar properties, I think a combination tincture would be very good. Willow usually takes longer to work but lasts quite awhile. Rosemary relieves pain very quickly, but wears off fast. I don't know yet how cottonwood works, but I'll try it and let you know. BTW, cottonwood resin is oily, so the tincture would best be made with something of a high alcohol content. I think Everclear burns too much, so when I do make tinctures with it, I squirt the amount I want in a little hot or boiling water, then let the alcohol evaporate a few minutes. For most things I use an 80 proof brandy or vodka, but 100 proof vodka works best for oily herbs, like cottonwood.
I've also read that the Balm of Gilead buds make an excellent cough syrup/expectorant mixed with honey. I've heard the same claim for spruce, but have not found it overly helpful. I usually mix a couple Tbsp. each of lemon juice and honey with about 1 1/2 to 2 cups very hot water. If a cough from a chest cold has been keeping me awake, I'll drink about half the mixture right before going to bed, then put the glass beside the bed. It usually works long enough to let me get at least several hours sleep. If I wake up during the night, I'll finish the glass, then go back to sleep. I think it works better than store-bought things, and it's much safer and cheaper. Anyway, when I gather buds for tincture, I'll pick enough to make a jar of cough syrup to keep on hand.
Somewhere in the back of my head, I think I remember someone telling me they mix Balm of Gilead buds with chopped ginger root and make a tincture for nausea and motion sickness. I know that ginger works very well for that, as does Angelica root. I always chew on a tiny piece of dried angelica root just before getting on a bush plane. Cow parsnip root tincture works just as well for any digestive problem, but I think the flavor is terribly potent!
Angelica is pretty strong, too, but not near as bad as cow parsnip, in my opinion. Well, that's what I think about the medicinal uses of cottonwood buds. Oh, almost forgot. The inner bark is supposed to have higher concentrations of the salicin, but the buds are so much easier to get, and they work great! Hope this is helpful.
Jenny
