Ah, the Black Cottonwood Populus trichocarpa L... My sticky childhood nemesis (more on that in a bit).
It is a member of the poplar genus in the Salicaceae family. Many varieties of which are found along riversides and lakes all over North America and the world.
As a matter of historical fact, Populus (from people, in Latin) very likely was named due to the fact that they were one of the first trees planted near new settlements. Poplars and cottonwoods can grow up to 5 feet a year and are the tallest tree in any settlement. Thus cottonwoods are a favored shade tree in open lands. The tall cousin, Poplar, is widely used as a windbreak in agriculture.
Cottonwoods are known to establish themselves in areas where there is plenty of water and can clear the soil as well as the air of toxins. While this might seem disadvantageous to the tree, it has an uncanny way of detoxifying itself!
A favorite of beaver for the soft wood and nutritious buds, and of course, building dams! Bees are known to collect resin from the leaf buds to protect their hive and is found to a small degree in their propolis. Maybe they know something!?
In native traditions, the resin of the cottonwood leaf buds was used for a weatherproof coating on baskets and clothing. They also used it to help with pain relief and inflammation. As a matter of fact, poplar of all varieties are in the Salicaceae family, which contain varying amounts of natural salicylic acid, the active ingredient in aspirin. It is a cousin to white willow whose bark has been used for pain relief in herbal blends.*
* Caution: If you are on blood thinners or are allergic to aspirin, avoid taking/using any cottonwood or poplar products internally. Take caution when applying topically as well - salves and oil should be skin patch tested. Pregnant and breast feeding women are warned to be in consultation before using.
Where I currently live, the black cottonwood grows easily and I'm richly supplied of these sticky buds. I try to gather new buds from fallen branches, thus encouraging natural growth. But what is all this fuss about a rather ordinary looking tree?
The resin in Cottonwood buds is pleasantly aromatic. It has been given the name of Balm of Gilead. While it probably isn't the same shrub of historical and Biblical fame, it has been given the Balm of Gilead for its similar properties - that of all-purpose soothing and healing balm. It is antimicrobial and thus inhibits infection so is a great first aid salve.*
And one of my herb teachers, Rosalee de la Foret, reports that she found a 6 year old cottonwood salve among a collection of other similarly dated salves, that smelled just as sweet as the day it was made. In other words, it is an excellent preservative. And it's one of the reasons why I make sure to have cottonwood oil in many of my salve formulas.
Joke's on me...
As a girl I grew up in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. Two huge cottonwoods grew in our yard. Inevitably, the leaf buds opened and the sticky hulls fell on everything. I remember the sticky resin getting on my hands and on my white sweat shirt. To top that off, the hulls would stick in my cock-a-poo's hair and she'd need to be shaved to get rid of the mats.
Later when I got my first car, I clearly remember my dad warning me to remove the sticky buds from my car or they'd be nearly impossible to remove later. Well, being an average teenager, I didn't take care and guess what, they stuck and got hard and became nearly impossible to remove without removing the paint, as well! Ugh! I used to think cottonwood was a scourge.
Well, the joke's on me. These days I purposely go tramping about the woods near my home, SEEKING these lovely golden green bits purposely collecting them from fallen branches. And I no longer mind the sticky fingers!
Allergies??
While it is often blamed for causing miserable allergic reactions, it is not common that cottonwood pollen causes allergies. What is likely the cause of the reaction is the fact that grasses are concurrently shedding pollen. But cottonwood gets the blame as it's the showiest during that season.
Historical uses:
*Herbal actions: anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antiviral, vulnerary
Balm of Gilead is truly a first aid oil or salve. Try it on anything that hurts!
Balm of Gilead is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects, making it useful for soothing skin irritations and inflammation. It can be applied to itching skin for relief.
It may also have analgesic (pain-relieving) properties thanks to the naturally occurring salicylates. You can rub it into overworked muscles as an aid to muscle recovery.
Testimonies
"I have had a persistent skin irritation that flares up from time to time and no prescriptions or OTC meds really helped. I was introduced to Remove many years ago which is the only product that I have found to soothe it. But when I received a sample of the Balm of Gilead, I decided to try it first. It stopped the discomfort right away!" Barb, Port Angeles, WA
"Cheryl gave me a bottle of the Balm of Gilead oil and I rubbed it into my neck and shoulders after a particularly hard afternoon working in the yard. I was pleased that the ache dissipated within a half hour and by the next morning was pretty much gone!" Myla, Sequim, WA
I stand at work all day, bending over the counters or slicing meats... My neck always feels achy. A friend let me try her Balm of Gilead oil. a few minutes after rubbing it in, I noticed that the pain was letting up and the next day it was gone! Emma, Sequim, WA