Balm of Gilead

Courtesy of Freedom of the Hills

An anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and pain relieving salve made from cottonwood or poplar buds




The buds of a number of varieties of cottonwood and poplar trees (Populus nigra, Populus balsamifera, Populus augustafolia and others) contain a sticky orange resin that has been used for centuries to make a soothing, healing salve commonly known as “Balm of Gilead.” This salve has anti-inflammatory, antibiotic/antiseptic and pain relieving qualities, and has been effectively used to treat abrasions, minor burns, frostbite and to ease the pain of sore muscles and joints. It is also (sometimes known as Black Salve) a traditional skin cancer remedy.

Simmering method:

Cover buds with oil--olive is perhaps the best, but coconut and others can be used--and simmer gently (do not boil!) to release the sticky orange resin. Cool and strain.

Gently simmering cottonwood buds in olive oil for several hours. You can see the yellow-orange resin beginning to ooze out of the buds as the oil heats.

Steeping method:

Fill a mason jar or crock halfway with buds, cover with olive oil and set aside. A sunny windowsill or warm spot in the kitchen speeds up the process. Leave in place for at least two weeks, but there is really no such thing as leaving it too long.



Making the salve:

Ingredients: Bee's wax, grapefruit seed extract, cottonwood bud oil

A ratio of 1/1 by volume of oil and wax shavings generally works well.

Equal measures (approximately) of wax shavings and oil, by volume

Heat the oil just to lukewarm, and add the wax. Do not boil. Stir with a wooden stick or, if you must use metal, with stainless steel.

Set out your containers.

Before pouring into the containers, put a bit of the salve on a spoon and refrigerate it for a few minutes (or just set it out on the counter) to make sure that the finished texture will be alright. It is much easier to add either wax or oil to the mix now, than it will be to later dig the salve out of containers and modify it.

Add two drops of grapefruit seed extract, a preservative and to increase the antiseptic/antibacterial value of the salve. This step is optional.

Solidifying takes only minutes in a cool house, longer if the weather is warmer.

All done and ready to use. A very versatile salve that can be used in place of antibiotic ointment on minor cuts, abrasions and burn, helps treat frostbite and works wonders on dry, chapped hands and cracked fingers and toes.