So strong is the need to propagate, even a fallen branch will sprout where it comes to rest. Rabbits and hares eat the bark. The wood, roots and bark were used for firewood, canoe making, rope, fish traps, baskets and structures. Western Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum aleuticum. Medicinal use of Eastern Cottonwood: The bark contains salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body. The gum-like sap was even used as a glue or as waterproofing. Medicinal Uses of Cottonwood Answered by: Susan Eagles and Conrad Richter Question from: Sylevestion McGibbon Posted on: March 13, 2007 I am requesting information on the plant cottonwood leaves and its medicinal value, and seed for propagating. How Cherokees Used Trees of Southern Appalachia for Food, Medicine, and Craft. The Menominee put the resinous buds in fat which was then used in the nostrils for a head cold, and they used a decoction of resinous buds in fat as a salve for wounds. So, if you are allergic to aspirin, you will probably react to Balm of Gilead tincture as well. Many other tribal people collected the buds in the early spring and boiled in deer fat to make a fragrant salve. Also like willows, leaf buds contain salicin which is a powerful anti-inflamatory and pain-reducer. Using trees as medicine breaks allows for some rather interesting preparations, as just about any part of the tree can be medicinal. Many medicinal uses. Place back in the double boiler. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. Apple – Tree bark is used to treat fevers and diarrhea. Because cottonwood is high in antioxidants, it is useful for healing the skin, including sunburn. They take root in pure sand or gravel along riverbanks. Seeds ripen late May to July. trichocarpa (Torr. Like fine perfume or essential oil.… Foraging wild food requires practice, knowledge, and experience on your landscape. Several Cascadian tribes believed the Black Cottonwood had a spirit force that was very powerful and it was reported that the tree moved even when the wind was not blowing. The gum from the spring buds was used to waterproof baskets and boxes. Place your plant cuttings into the rooting hormone (only the bottom portion of the stems) and let soak for a couple hours, then plant in a pot with soil and care for as usual. Black cottonwood trees are important for stream habitats. Pour your oil (minus any water or solids that might be at the bottom) into a glass storage container. Beavers eat the bark and use stems for dams and woodpeckers nest in old trees. That’s all there is to it. As a folk medicine, Cottonwood and other Willow family members were used for wet, damp respiratory afflictions. The resin has been used to waterproof boxes and baskets, and the bark has been used to make buckets for storing and carrying food. Refe… Cottonwood trees feature male and female parts on separate trees (female trees are the ones that produce the cottony substance that gives the tree its name). An infusion of the bark was used for sore throats. The cottonwood oil is now ready for use. Learn to harvest the … Let’s take an in-depth look at how to use trees for medicine, but first let’s examine 10 of the more popular medicinal trees: Alder – Astringent used as a wound wash and healing agent on deep wounds. Growth: Black Cottonwood grows very fast, several feet each year. Heat for several days. It is one of the largest of some 40 species of Populus and is the tallest, fastest-growing hardwood in the western United States. The resin has been used to waterproof boxes and baskets, and the bark has been used to make buckets for storing and carrying food. As a child growing up in Oregon, I loved to walk in the cottonwood snow drifts. Leaf and bark teas are used to treat tonsillitis, fever, as a douche, and for hemorrhoids. I hear the other humans calling the Black Cottonwood a nuisance or a tall weed. Explore {{searchView.params.phrase}} by color family {{familyColorButtonText(colorFamily.name)}} Black poplar tree in summer, species of cottonwood poplar native to Europe, southwest and central Asia, and northwest Africa. Medicinal use of Cottonwood: The inner bark was consumed by various native North American Indian tribes in order to prevent scurvy. Let it set. The resin contains “salicin” – the same compound that gives aspirin its pain relieving and fever reducing benefits. The leaves are alternate, deciduous, thick and oval with heart-shaped base and sharp-pointed tip. The resin from buds were used in a poultice with crushed cottonwood leaves to treat pains and rheumatism. Heat on a very low setting. The bark was boiled and the infusion was used for a gargle to treat sore throats (Gunther 1945). It also makes an excellent massage oil for sore muscles. The gooey resin smells similar to jasmine. A soap and a hair wash were made from the ashes of burned cottonwood. They used the gum of the burls on cuts and wounds. The cottony seeds are often seen drifting in a summer breeze, giving the tree its common name of Cottonwood. Many First Peoples believed that Cottonwood was a sacred wood used as an instrument of communication between The Great Spirit who loves us all and humanity. Because of its salicin content, it was used raw or in salves to treat various ailments. The bees use the resin as a type of bee glue. The tree flowers before leaves open up. The balsam is not water soluble, so it is necessary to extract it either with fat, by macerating it in oil or cocoa butter in a warm place (do not boil, otherwise the buds might get burnt), or to prepare an alcoholic extract (tincture). A … According to Pojar and McKinnon the Nuxalk/Kwakwaka’wakw and other Cascadian First People used the sweet inner bark and cambium tissues as food and medicine. The Iroquois used cottonwood to kill worms in adults, arthritis, skin eruptions and scabs and a decoction of bark taken as a laxative. Browse 43 black cottonwood stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Take cuttings from a Black Cottonwood tree. Twigs and buds are food for deer, moose, and elk. If your balm is too hard for your liking, melt with a little more oil. The tall tree with its furrowed bark and a yellowish hue is a member of the willow family (Salicaceae), and like other poplars, contains resins and cambium with medicinal, food and material uses. Names: Black Cottonwood is also known as Balsam Poplar. Many instruments of ceremony were made of cottonwood. The fluffy seeds can travel 20 miles on a breeze, they can be carried on streams and rivers and rest in a vernal pool. Bruised leaves were also placed on cuts as an antiseptic. Strain and use as is or make into a salve. Distribution of Black Cottonwood from USGS ( “Atlas of United States Trees” by Elbert L. Little, Jr. ). nonprofit family member, presents an art & music series, filmed & recorded in unique locations throughout the Pacific Northwest. Gunther, Erna. The resin is used in medicine and perfume. (Butterflies, moths and skippers). by Todd Walker. Buds are sticky with resin and are fragrant. The infused oil can be added to beeswax to make a balm or salve. In the Landscape: Black Cottonwood is not a good choice for most gardens. Young shoots were used to make sweat lodges. Black Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera ssp trichocarpa) is a native broadleaf tree that grows in the wet regions of the Western Washington lowlands (including Seattle). project Rain City Slam presents it’s 2019 Grand Slam featuring legendary poet Wil Gibson. Uses: Reforestation, ripairan area restoration, windbreaks, cover for birds, habitat; it is often used to control flooding. Notice I used the word your land. The resins of this tree feed the bees and butterflies and the resin is collected by bees to protect the hive. Cottonwood will plant itself and take root where few other trees will grow. The buds are also antiseptic and can be added to other herbal oils to prevent rancidity and molding. THE USE OF COTTONWOOD BY THE FIRST PEOPLES OF CASCADIA. What you’ve read in books and watched on YouTube may not apply to your locale. (If you put the buds in the blender directly without oil they will stick to the sides and your clean up will be much more challenging.) Many parts of the cottonwood tree are medicinal. Balsamifera means balsam (aromatic resin)-bearing. For larger amounts, using a blender will save you a considerable amount of time. It is in his book “Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West“. The bark of most, if not all members of the genus contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body. Once oil stops dripping, empty the buds into a compost container and continue pressing until done. Lay a piece of muslin cloth over a strainer that is sitting on a container. To each cup of oil, add 1 ½ to 2 Tbsp. Great Northwest Productions, a CN! You can also explore another method of making the infused oil by Michael Moore. It is made into a tea and used as a wash for sprains, inflammation, muscle pains etc. Projects Throughout the Bioregion. Cottonwood is also known as Balsam Poplar, Tacamahac, Balm of Gilead and Populus balsamifera. The leaves are a food source for insects in the water, the insects are then eaten by salmon and trout. Just before they open, the leaf buds will exude a drop of red to yellow colored resin. Black cottonwood buds may hold the finest natural fragrance found in the Los Padres National Forest. It is best used in the spring. Boil as much water as will cover your cuttings. A compound called salicin, which is found in the leaves, buds and bark of cottonwood, has been proven to lower fevers and reduce inflammation and pain. This is Rain City Slam’s most fierce competition of the year! If it is too liquid, melt with a little more beeswax. Paint and dyes were made from the yellow and red resins of early spring buds. It is still commonly employed in modern herbalism with much the same uses. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps. Old bark is dark gray and deeply furrowed. Posts Tagged With: medicinal uses of tulip poplar. In the spring, bees chew the resin from the cottonwood and digest it with their own enzymes to make bee medicine and glue called Propolis. Many kinds of animals use the twigs of Populus balsamifera for food. The inner bark was used to reinforce other fibers in spinning. As a folk medicine, Cottonwood and other Willow family members were used for wet, damp respiratory afflictions. The leaf buds are covered with a resinous sap that has a strong turpentine odour and a bitter taste[213]. The wood is also used for fuel. Posted on March 8, 2016 by Survival Sherpa. Most propolis research focuses on resins from forests where bees collect mainly from the poplar (Populus) genus and, to a lesser extent, beech, chestnut, birch, and conifer trees. These barks were harvested in late spring. Bees collect the resin, which is an anti-infectant, for their hives and seal intruders (such as mice and other invaders) in the resin to prevent decay and protect the hive (Pojar and Mackinnon p. 46). Bruised leaves were also placed on cuts as an antiseptic. The resin is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, febrifuge, stimulating and expectorant. Economic uses of the black cottonwood include course lumber and the manufacture of wood products such as paper. They would not burn the wood but would often listen to the trees for direction. Cottonwood pollen is another major allergen. Do not allow the olive oil to get hot enough that it boils! It is easily propagated by cuttings; and fresh seeds germinate easily. Considered as the "King of spices", black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is a widely used spice which adds flavor of its own to dishes, and also enhances the taste of other ingredients.Piper nigrum has also been extensively explored for its biological properties and its bioactive phyto-compounds. To use – Get the cuttings of the plants you want to root. (Gunther 1945). MAKING COTTONWOOD BUD OIL-YOUR OWN BALM OF GILEAD. Cottonwood oil and balm is especially helpful for swollen arthritic joints and sore muscles. The seeds are covered with white, fluffy hairs that help propel them through the air. Commercial extracts are produced from the fragrant buds for use as a perfume in cosmetics. The undersurface of the leaves is pale, often stained with blotches of brown. Native Alaskan and exotic plants used by wildlife. Black Cottonwood contains a large amount of rooting hormone, just like willows, so it is useful for plant propagation. Remove twigs. Stur, Ernst T. (1933) Manual of Pacific Coast Drug plants, Ernst Theodore Stuhr Papers, Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon. The Squaxin used the young shoots of cottonwood for making the sweat lodge, and also used them for lashings and tying thongs. Cover the cottonwood buds with a good organic olive oil. It is often found on flood plains and is known to extract water up through it roots to control flooding in many areas. Research shows that the Cottonwood tree seeds are not the bringer of sneezes and sniffles, but the healer of such maladies. An infusion of the bark was used for sore throats. I place my oiled buds near my heater and keep it warm without a stove top. & A.Gray ex Hook) Brayshaw, (POP-yu-lus ball-sum-IF-er-uh subspecies tri-ko-KAR-pa). The numerous fluffy seeds of Black Cottonwood resemble snowfall in summer. Pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma are some examples but it may be used to help in any pulmonary condition where the phlegm is stubborn, impedes breathing, and cough is unproductive. You will notice that some of the buds have catkins inside. Pour a couple of cups of buds and oil into the muslin, bundle it up, twist the cloth and squeeze with all your might. Trichocarpa means with hairy fruits, referring to its fluffy seeds. Remove any leaves that would be in the rooting area (you don’t want leaves to soak in the rooting hormone). I am always surprised when the humans around me complain of the mess or the possibility of allergies. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. Also like willows, leaf buds contain salicin which is a powerful anti-inflamatory and pain-reducer. The gum from the buds was used to treat baldness, sore throats, whooping cough and tuberculosis. Black Cottonwood is the largest hardwood tree in western North America. Step 4 – Store. Distribution: Black Cottonwood is found from coastal Alaska to the mountains of California, with some growing as far south as northwest Mexico. It is usually ground into a powder and used as a flour, this is normally mixed with other flours for making bread etc.. Cottonwood trees can add 6 feet in height each year making them the fastest growing trees in North America. CN! It was a substance collected from several varieties of Middle Eastern and East African trees and was said to have many curative powers. Step 3 – Press out the oil. Use by People: Natives used Black Cottonwood for many medicinal purposes. This is probably due to the salicylic acid that is extracted in alcohol, but not in fat. “Populus” means the peoples’ tree. You will need: extra virgin olive oil (enough to cover the buds), a double boiler, a blender (only if you are making a large amount), a pressing cloth like muslin, a strainer and a glass jar for long-term storage. Black Cottonwood is also a favorite nesting or perching tree for many bird species (Bald Eagle, owls, ospreys, hawks, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, etc.). Common Uses: Boxes/crates, veneer, plywood, and various utility purposes. Pour the boiling water onto the cuttings and leave overnight. Description of Values. Turn on and blend just until the buds are mostly broken open. Within 24 hours of hitting its mark, the seed will sprout. The fruits are hairy, rounded, 3-part capsules that split to release numerous cottony seeds that float through the air. Both Cottonwood Trees and Willow Trees produce their own rooting hormone, called auxin. It contains substances that are known to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells (caffeic acid phenethyl ester-CAPE) (Broadhurst and Duke – 1998) When to Harvest:  Buds appear on cottonwood trees from late winter to early spring. This scientific name comes from the fact that cottonwood has proved to be so useful over the centuries. I want to tell them that this tree is in fact a bearer of great healing. I looked up into the sky and watched the fluffy seeds twirl and dance above me. Young shoots were used to make sweat lodges. The resin of cottonwood buds contain a bounty of medicinal properties. Other medicinal uses of cottonwood bark have been recorded such as treatment of whooping cough, tuberculosis, colds, and intestinal parasites. Black cottonwood is a large deciduous tree belonging to the willow family (Salicaceae). 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