Ohhh Poplar buds, they are so so special and truly such a profound and ancient medicine.
If you can spend some time with the poplars - they have much to teach us and share with us. They are portal keeps, guardians of the waters and really allow us to tune into the mysteries. They attune us to that powerful quiet knowing. The power that is found in the quiet.
Poplars have so very much to teach us. They remind us to go within to gather our medicine. They return us to our life force, return to source, return to our wholeness, root down deep deep deep, to find the deepest nourishment - to find the source of our life force. The real and true. Wherever there are poplars - there is always water nearby. Poplar buds rule the waters both physically and emotionally. They support us in harmonizing the waters, and also guide us home to rememberance of our true essence - our home within.
Poplars are guardians of the waters, they support us in facing and releasing our fears, they guide us back home to our primal and innate knowing, instincts and intuition.
We look forward to these each year and they have become such a seasonal anchor for us. My daughter has always called them sticky medicine and her little spirit fills with joy each time she sees them.
We moved here this fall and I was not sure how many poplars would be in the area - their whispers were extra loud this winter - I kept feeling drawn to go to one area and had a feeling there would be many there. When we arrived - there were so so many poplars. The plants are truly so amazing and will guide us right to them when we need them most or pop up in our backyard ect. So always trust those nudges and whispers!
There is nothing like the sweet intoxicating smell of poplar buds.
The buds will start to pop up as early as early January depending on many factors. We are usually always watching for them all season long - and it has become a long slow & steady seasonal ritual that is so soothing, grounding & sure. We will check them almost daily throughout the season checking for them popping up, and checking them for readiness. It is a sweet and very special seasonal rhythm for us, that is like meeting an old steady and true friend again and again each year.
Right now where we are they are out on most trees now and at a great time for harvesting. We have been gathering some every day for the past few months to have for our home Apothecary for the year to come. We will check for fallen branches after a storm, and if we are harvesting directly from the tree, we only take a small amount. I have found the best time to harvest poplar buds is when they are not completely closed, but just right after, when the resin is starting to show slightly. This is part of what makes poplar bud harvesting so meditative and special as well, there is a slowness, attunement and patience to the whole process. The harvesting time will vary greatly depending on where you live and what the winter has been like.
Poplar buds can be utilized for medicine in many ways. You can make poplar infused honey, tincture, and one most commonly known is balm of gilead as a healing salve for many many things. We usually make a poplar bud infused oil that we use in our home for many things, it is one medicine that I really always like having in our home. I also add this into womb oil as well (it is an incredible womb support) and some other formulas as it is so wonderful, it is incredibly supportive for pain and inflammation. It is also deeply nourishing and healing for the skin. (will share more below)
There are several different species where you can collect the buds from :Balsam poplar ( Populus balsamifera), black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), Aspens and other poplar
POPLAR BUD MAGIC:
Poplar buds are a very ancient medicine, the magic is very much felt and I experienced through the scent of poplar buds along with simply spending time with the poplars.
Poplars allow us to face our fears and remind us that our sensitivity and being highly attuned is a sacred gift, not something we most overcome but rather turn towards, embrace and integrate.
This tree medicine is deeply deeply rooting and holds the frequency of home. The home that lives within us all. They are here to remind us that you are always home and whole. They remind us that we belong.
They are highly protective energetically and wrap us in sacred protection and warmth.
I have found that any plants that are sticky or like calendula leaves sticky resin on your skin - are here to help us heal wounds - both externally and internally. This includes a balm for our energy fields. Along with a layer that seals our energy and adds an extra layer for spiritual protection.
Poplar buds are ultimate alchemy - they support us in alchemizing and clearing stagnancy, heavyness and grief. They remind us of our life force that is of us and belongs to us. They bring us home, and orient us towards truth and what our souls are truly needing for soul nourishment and fulfillment.
POPLAR BUD MEDICINE:
There is so much to say about poplar buds. a guardian, portal keeper.
Energetics: Cool, dry, astringent, bitter, slightly sweet.
Poplar buds are commonly known for their use in balm of gilead which is poplar bud infused oil with beeswax. This is a very ancient balm with so much history - and for good reason.
Poplar buds are INCREDIBLE healers for the skin - amazing for skin conditions - eczema, rashes, fungal rashes, wounds, burns, healing acne ect. They are also incredibly nourishing, softening, toning and smoothing for the skin too. They bring health and vitality back to the tissues.
Since they are guardians of the water - they are so supportive for moving stagnancy and dampness from the tissues - allowing for proper fluid balance. Their tonifying properties bring vitality back to the tissues so they can work to their highest potential - which also supports releasing/draining any dampness and cold within the tissues.
Poplar bud oil/salve is also well known for supporting pain such as arthritis ect. It is just such incredible inflammation support.
Poplars are related to the willow family- they both contain salicin. Making them an incredible anti inflammatory. Your liver will convert this to salicylic acid. There is soooo much to say about this and why plants like willow bark and poplar buds/and bark work so well for pain/inflammation. The main reason for this is that they do so an incredible job of draining damp heat. Making them so incredibly effective for pain and inflammation.
Poplar buds are amazing to have on hand for a lung remedy. They are very effective at clearing congestion and moving dampness and stagnation. This can be used topically as a chest balm or used as tincture, oxymel or herbal honey. It is an amazing expectorant and will help loosen and thin out phlegm and mucus. It is so lovely to support a sore throat as well, pain through fever and intense coughing ect. Since it is so supportive for inflammation it will also deeply support reducing inflammation in lungs supporting more ease of breathing - and ofcourse energetically poplar buds are so wonderful for grief support so it is a beautiful lung remedy. Poplar buds is our go to for congested and painful sinuses as well. It is incredible support for infection. Whenever we are using plants and especially for the lungs too, if we want the medicine to be effective we want to be looking at the tissue state, the whole body, so we can support the vital force of the body in what it is already trying to do.
Poplar buds are very very supportive for candida/yeast and microbiome imbalances. They are also going to be very supportive for clearing out the system of that sludgy/dense/stagnant/damp energy.
Poplar buds are a vulnerary herb - whenever we are working with vulnerary herbs that are known for their skin healing abilities - this in most cases is also the same for healing our gut lining. There seems to be a very big theme with little ones needing gut healing and extra skin support. Which makes alot of sense to me as our digestive system is so similar to the way our auric fields work - so of course these beautiful brilliant sensitive children need extra protection for both.
Poplar buds are a natural analgesic and anti spasmodic making them beautiful pain support. I have found it to be beautiful headache support as well.
Poplar buds are also a sedative making them very soothing and grounding for our nervous system. They really carry the energy of rooting us down while remaining very present, sensitive and fluid like the water at the same at the same time. They bring a tender steadiness.
Something to keep in mind is that some people are sensitive or allergic to salicylates. Always using your intuition when working with herbal medicine.
Poplar buds are astringent making them incredible tissue support internally and externally to tighten and tonify the tissues. They have also been known to be supportive for hemorrhoids, the reason for this is that hemorrhoids generally come from a relaxed tissue state. So something like poplar buds that have astringent qualities will be so supportive - along with being so supportive for soothing and healing.
When harvesting, being mindful of what clothing you are wearing as it is very difficult to get the resin out of your clothing. I have my dedicated poplar bud jars. Oil will work best in getting the sticky resin of your hands.
RECIPES:
One of the most common recipes used for poplar buds is an infused oil. However having a tincture on hand, dried buds for oils/cough syrup, vinegar or herbal honey are in my opinion so nice to have in our homes, They are not very water soluble so working with other extraction methods like oil & alcohol is best.
The buds have a high moisture content so if you are drying some to store for tea for the year - ensuring they are well ventilated and properly dried.
POPLAR BUD OIL :
-Filling a jar of your choice about 3/4 loosely full of buds
- Adding about one oz of alcohol (something like vodka, grape alcohol or cane alcohol) and shaking well. I leave this for 12 hours covered.
- Filling your jar with your oil of choice - olive or jojoba are my favorite.
- From here you can allow this to infuse in a cool dark place for 6-8 weeks or you can also choose to create a double boiler method and do the warm oil infusion. Infusing on low for several hours. Poplar buds do really well with heat extraction ( low) Then straining through cheesecloth. Pouring into amber glass bottles with a funnel and storing in a cool dark place. This will keep for a long time as poplar buds contain natural preservatives. You can also choose to blend your mixture as well. My favorite method with Poplar buds is allowing them to infuse for several weeks, wanting them, then blending (several times through the day (3-4) then straining, bottling and storing in a cool dark place. Using for body oils, face oil, chest support, wound healing, pain support ect.
- you can also choose to make this into a salve at this point (balm of gilead) for this I would have 1/4 cup melted bee wax and mix with 1 cup of poplar bud infused oil. Mix well & store in tins or jars. Keep in a dark cool place. These should keep for a long time. You can also make a beautiful face balm by adding tallow or shea to make a very healing face balm.
- Poplar buds make an incredible natural perfume! You can add extra beeswax to make a more solid balm to use to annoint yourself with. Poplar buds have a long history of being used in ceremony and ritual.
POPLAR BUD HONEY:
-Filling a clean jar about 1/2 full of poplar buds- topping with warmed honey. Turning the jar over every few days. Allowing to infuse in a dark place for 2 weeks. Warming & Straining. Using for sore throats, coughs, wound care ect.
TINCTURE:
- Poplar buds are very resinous so a higher alcohol content for extraction is best.
- Filling a clean jar about 1/2 full of poplar buds and filling your jar with alcohol. Covering and allowing to extract in a dark place for 2-4 weeks. You may choose to make this into an elixir as well by filling 3/4 with alcohol and topping with honey!
- Straining and pouring into amber dropper bottles. Labelling. Storing in a cool dark place.
As always - allow the plants to guide you - you will be drawn to what you need. Always listen to your intuition when working with plants 🤍 they are so eager to help and seem to have a way of making themselves known when we need them most 🥹