Herb library · Herb · Populus balsamifera and Populus × jackii (sold as P. candicans)
Balm of Gilead (poplar buds)
The sticky, sweet-smelling spring buds of balsam poplar trees, steeped in oil or lard to make a salve. Despite the name, it is not the balm of Gilead of the Bible. It has not been studied in people.
Traditional use
King's American Dispensatory (1905) records that poplar buds, known as balm of Gilead, were made into a salve with lard or oil for bruises, swellings, wounds and rheumatic pains, that a tincture was taken for coughs and chest pain, and that the buds were added to ointments to keep them from going rancid. The name was borrowed from the Bible's balm of Gilead, a Middle Eastern tree resin (see Judean balsam).
What studies show
No studies in people of this herb on its own yet. What is known of it comes from the traditions that use it.
- Insufficient
Bruises, aches and coughs: no study of poplar buds in people was found. Their research is chemistry and lab work, much of it comparing them with propolis.
Be careful of
Cautions
- AllergyPoplar-bud resin is the main plant source of the propolis bees make, and the two share much of their chemistry; if bee propolis irritates your skin, poplar-bud salve may too. Test a small patch first.
- InteractionPoplar bark and buds contain salicin and related compounds, relatives of aspirin; people allergic to aspirin or taking blood thinners should ask a clinician before using them.
- PregnancyNo safety information for pregnancy or breastfeeding was found; avoid taking it by mouth then.
- Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using this if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are giving it to a child.
From the old books
What herbals and dispensaries of the past printed. History, in their words.
“With lard or oil they form a useful external application in bruises, swellings, wounds, some cutaneous diseases, rheumatic pains, etc.”
Sources
- Extracts of Poplar Buds (Populus balsamifera L., Populus nigra L.) and Lithuanian Propolis: Comparison of Their Composition and Biological Activities (Plants, 2021) — PubMed record (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
- Comparison of Ethanolic and Aqueous Populus balsamifera L. Bud Extracts by Different Extraction Methods: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities (2021) — PubMed record (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
Reviewed September 25, 2026.