Leaves are alternate, petiole 1-3 cm, leaf blade lanceolate, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic measuring 4-12 × 1.5-3 cm. Additionally, there was an important modern scientific use of the resin to produce Canada balsam, a turpentine made from the resin and used in the preparation of microscope slides. long, lanceolate and serrate or toothed. Can also melt/mix with a little charcoal from fire to make emergency filling ;0). Taking good care of our teeth is really necessary as we only get one set of it. impatiens glandulifera is a ANNUAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft) at a fast rate. Additionally, after dying back in the fall, bare riverbanks are exposed, increasing erosion during higher winter flows. They are also used after poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) contact to prevent a rash from developing. No wildlife trust or National Park use chemicals to remove Himalayan balsam. Great article. They kept giving me some strange looks when I kept smelling my fingers every few seconds. It is fast-growing and spreads quickly, invading wet habitat at the expense of other, native flowers. The pink and red varieties are very common in India. Ref. I do my best to share useful information with like-minded people. John, Pine tree resin. On inspection, the area around the scab was somewhat swollen and inflamed. It is also used to treat sore nipples and is said to be one of the best curatives for a sore throat. We capsized twice on this 14 day trip and swamped a few times too. So, yes it does have the potential to attract dust, dirt etc. A few more days and this could hv spread to the adjoining tissue- In particular, the Penobscot used the resin as an antiseptic for burns, sores and wounds. Reply. Many of these awesome tree’s around where I live. All the best Paul! Also are you planning on running any wilderness first aid courses next year?regards, In particular, the Penobscot used the resin as an antiseptic for burns, sores and wounds. Medicinal Uses . It wasn’t a problem in reality though. Yes, there is so much good stuff out there, if only we know where to look. Unlike the spiky spruces and scraggy Jack Pines it rubs shoulders with, it has class and refinement. Stems are simple or branched, succulent, glabrous or laxly pubescent when young with fibrous roots and swollen lower nodes. It bothered me that the area of soreness was actually increasing. Great area. Of course, very few are actually native! According to my studies over the last ten years, balsam is, without doubt, the most important riverbank plant for bumble bees, honey bees, wasps, hoverflies and more than 50 species of other flies. In years when the Balsam doesn't produce a good amount of nectar, I usually end up having to feed my bees sugar syrup in the Autumn for them to have enough food to survive the winter. With gratitude and respect, I thank you, and look forward to more. Needles emanate individually and are attached to twigs with what look like little green suction cups as opposed to a woody peg (spruces) or in a fascicle (pines). Handy tip with the resin….fascinating …..would there be a uk equivalent? Best Wishes Well, we’re all just between swims and, as Gooders will tell you, as you get more experienced, the mistakes, when you make them, just get bigger… . The sap has both antiseptic and analgesic properties. This stopped me knocking it and kept out dirt but the more moist atmosphere under the tape also softened up the scab, which to an extent stopped it cracking but didn’t seem to help it heal. What pleased me even more on this trip was that balsam fir sap proved to be the most effective treatment I had access to. Normally I use a super glue or the american tape but this seem a very natural and eco friendly alternative for cuts and so injuries. It occurs from Labrador westwards to Alberta and south as far as West Virginia. It helped instigate a whole new article. The flowers that come in different colors make a showy garden. It did seem to promote healing directly too. The tree is quite conical and spire-shaped (see the photo at the top of this article). Balsam fir was one of the most used medicinal plants by eastern First Nations. Yes it was getting sore. An extraction of this plant is used in homeopathy to treat anxiety. What was initially slightly more than a minor graze was turning into an significant irritation. Hi Paul, In the Philippines, its crushed leaves can be used as a poultice in order to dissolve whitlow. I know you’ve seen it already as you’ve commented there but in case anyone is reading this would like the link, it’s here: http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2015/european-alternatives-to-balsam-fir-for-medicinal-purposes/. Regards, Ian. In fact the consistency of the sap is a little bit like the inside of a cough sweet such as Lockets. That was an infected wound…look at the edges, the swelling, n redness. If you suffer from painful inflammation, joint pains, dysmenorrhea, carbuncles, bruises, and snake bites, you can use the entire plant, 9 to 15 grams, or its dried flowers, 3 to 6 grams, or seed preparation, 3 to 7 grams, boil a decoction and then consume it. Medicinal use of Balsam Fir: The resin obtained from the balsam fir (see "Uses notes" below) has been used throughout the world and is a very effective antiseptic and healing agent. The askance looks seem to arise from the general level of disconnect… and something I’ve experienced many times. Photo: Paul KirtleyOn a Bloodvein River canoe trip, Amanda and I capsized our canoe on a little rock shelf drop-off. This video summarizes the medicinal uses of balsam root (Balsamorhiza sagittata). It’s the sort of thing that I do and everyone else looks askance. In Malaysia, kamantigue leaves are used as a bandage for torn or broken nails. Cheers Paul. Kind Regards. Presumably you stored some for later use when no longer in the same area. It’s quite a light sap, quite liquid and free-flowing. Sorry! Adrian. I use super glue in a medical environment. Please try it the next time you have a cut… you can literally “feel” all the bacteria dying . A list of some important medicinal plants with their medicinal uses from Himalayan State Uttarakhand, India March 2019 Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 7(2):106-116 Interesting observation regarding the scent of these resins. Always nice to hear from you. I’ve not tried a canoe trip yet but it’s on the list ! Is there an equivalent pine in Nothern Europe? I’d always liked this fragrant, conical epitome of the Christmas tree. To leave your boat and sacrifice your bow paddler to educate us in the use of resin is above and beyond. This was enough to turn the boat over and we swam. Consequently we ended somewhat side-on to the flow in a small recirculation. Balsam is the resinous exudate (or sap) which forms on certain kinds of trees and shrubs. Traditional and indigenous uses of medicinal plants by local residents in Himachal Pradesh, North Western Himalaya, India Shalini Vidyarthi, Sher S. Samant* and Pankaj Sharma G.B. It is a fir, Abies, and so shares some of the common features of this genus. According to a recent study out of Canada, the total amount of cancer rates that can be linked to environmental and lifestyle factors are... Cassava leaves are processed into a variety of cuisines. So, no shame in swimming. Almost as though you have told them to take their boots off in the woods in the UK and enjoy the re-connection with nature walking barefoot! The sap has both antiseptic and analgesic properties. Its flowers can be used for lumbago, intercostal neuralgia, and snake bites. But this looks like natures equivalent. It will be included in Scotland by the end of 2011. You don’t typically need to squeeze the blister. Riparian habitat is suboptimal for I. glandulifera , and spring or … On still, warm mornings, virtually every flowerhead is nodding under the weight of feeding bees. The seed is an expectorant; used for lung cancer treatments. In maintaining the fist of my left hand around the shaft of the paddle, though, at some stage in coming out of the boat or getting to shore, I took a chunk out of the top of my thumb knuckle. It has also been cultivated in Europe. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Sincerely, John. I now appreciate this tree even more. I have used balsam fir resin on cuts in the past with some good results. But just for the sake of completeness, it stays quite liquid in a sealed container and seems to keep quite well (in terms of maintaining its original character). Collect a couple of handfuls fresh, add some warm water and mash them up a bit in your hands then give your hands a wash with them, like you would with soap. A Personal Wilderness First Aid Kit: What To Include, Six Men, Three Boats and The Bloodvein: Canoeing A Wilderness River, Integrating Bushcraft With Modern Outdoor Life: Bushcraft Show 2014 Presentation. Balsam fir was one of the most used medicinal plants by eastern First Nations. Balsam fir, Abies balsamea, is a species native to eastern North America. Excellent article, for those of us with softer hands, if this can happen to Paul the superman then we should all be careful. I have collected the sap in film container’s. Leaf juice can be used as a treatment for warts. It was at this stage, at a camp which had a number of balsam firs on the edge of a clearing, that I thought to employ a traditional treatment. It is used as a healing and analgesic protective covering for burns, bruises, wounds and sores. I didn’t even put a plaster on it. These leaves are rich ... Health Benefits and Medicinal Uses of Garden Balsam (Kamantigue), Post Comments Thanks for giving us something to try with the flowers themselves. Garden Balsam is an annual plant which grows from 60 to 100 cm high. Some natural soap – saponin – will come out but the leaves also have a softening effect. Burdock also could be found in list of medicinal plants in China and has been used as part of both Chinese and Ayurvedic traditional medicine for more than one millennia, so surely you cannot doubt the medical properties found in Himalayan burdock. But that was reversed pretty quickly after I began applying the balsam sap. Schedule 9: The main piece of […] I kept hold of my paddle, as any good paddler does. So, the little scab cracked several times per day. The records about the use of Noble fir seem to be limited to the leaves being used as a cold medicine – either smoked or as a tea. Looking forward to paddling with you again at some point. Leaf juice can be used as a treatment for warts. Hi Paul, brilliant article I really enjoyed the fact that you actually used the remedy rather than just discussing it. Thanks for your questions. Fascinating, great pictures for identification, are there any UK trees where sap has similar healing properties? Required fields are marked *. That does look rather angry. They don’t soften the skin in the sense that they make them less resilient but more that they make them more pliable. Good to hear the whole story and to learn how you put this tree’s resources to practical and effective use. I find that paddling softens my skin like sitting in the bath. I am part of an invasive weeds project to remove Himalayan balsam from 2 catchment areas in the Peak District National Park. And it worked a treat. There were plenty of instances of balsam fir along the journey, that I didn’t need to. Thanks for the wound care reference. Always handy to know when to use it. Great article Paul. And of course, the bark is silvery grey with numerous obvious resin blisters. Its flowers are used as a substitute for Henna and dyeing finger-nails in some parts of Asia. As always, a comprehensive and interesting teaching on a subject that has very useful application. In China, ground seeds are recommended for hard labor in pregnant women. On a learning note – this may be a better cure than my reliance on SuperGlue for the cracks and splits I suffer constantly going from paddling to rope work. Learn how your comment data is processed. You can just simply pound the fresh plant and use it as a bandage on painful areas or bruises. A native of the Western Himalaya, it was introduced in 1839 to Kew Gardens as a greenhouse exotic. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Glad I was able to find the time to share a bit more about this tale. It’s more liquid and less sticky to start with but does dry out over time and become more tacky. The flowers can also be used to make floral jams and jellies or added to salads. Himalayan balsam favours damp woodland, flushes and mires - irrespective whether the ground is shaded or open. The sap helped prevent this, which, net-net, helped keep dirt out of the wound. Thanks for your kind words John. But yes, it did still require sacrifice . Often seen by rivers, streams and canals, it causes bank erosion and contributes to flooding due to clogging up waterways. Paul – the lengths that you go to in order to give such good advice is commendable! Aye Dave, this is yet another friend to greet in the forest. The bow of the boat went a little too far left, into slower water, turning the boat. A timely article to remind me that I will be signing up to the next plant identification course. You can just simply pound the fresh plant and use it as a bandage on painful areas or bruises. So satisfying to use a traditional cure. Plants can grow up to 3m tall, making this the tallest annual species growing wild in the UK. It self-sows vigorously, and takes over any area where it seeds, driving out native plants. Medicinal plant seeds Sedative plants Aphrodisiac plant Healing plant Stimulant plant Other curative plant Dye plant and seeds ornamental plant and seeds Indoor, house plant Outdoor, garden plant Bonsai tree seeds Bulk seeds, wholesale plant Unique plant and seeds All live plant Mushroom Spawn Viewed products. Great story – and well told, as ever. No not really. It’s definitely a case of re-connection. Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is an introduced summer annual that has naturalised in the UK, mainly along riverbanks and ditches. The conical shape of a Balsam Fir, Abies balsamea. Himalayan balsam will be listed on the revised Schedule 9 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and therefore it will be an offence to plant or cause it to grow in the wild, upon its inclusion. Thanks for your feedback on this article. Himalayan balsam Taxonomic Tree; Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Spermatophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Dicotyledonae; Summary of Invasiveness; I. glandulifera is a highly invasive annual species which has spread rapidly in many parts of Europe and North America after its introduction as an ornamental. The movement is being initiated by Rajya Sabha MP Joginapally Santosh … A tea of the green needles was also widely used for colds and coughs. All the best. Their vapours have been recorded as having beneficial effects on bronchial complaints. ( It’s a fairly common tree in those parts. Balsamum tolutanum, Myroxylon balsamum . Whether I held the paddle on my left or right, my grip on the paddle meant that I had to bend my thumb. It Was only last month I was teaching some friends about the uses of this sap on a trip to the forest. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Thanks for the information. With regards to storage, while I did think about collecting some in a small Nalgene, in the end I didn’t need to. Medicinal Use Of Balsam Fir For Cuts, Grazes & Sores NEXT #AskPaulKirtley Episode 14: Toxic Firewood, Down Bags, What To Do If Lost, Minimum Bushcrafter Knowledge and Rewilding Britain 16 thoughts on “ European Alternatives To Balsam Fir For Medicinal Purposes ” jamie Dakota says: at 12:13 Hi Paul, An excellent follow up to already essential article on the balsam fir. Hi Paul, It prefers moist soils but will grow pretty much anywhere. It was not issue at the time. Alan. On piercing a blister the sap is quite free flowing. The top of the needles are glossy and green and each has a clear groove, while the undersides of the needles have two clear whitish bands of stomata. GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development, Himachal Unit, Mohal-Kullu, 175 126, Himachal Pradesh, India E-mails: samantss2@rediffmail.com, samant62@yahoo.com Received 26.02 09; revised 23.09.09 In the moutaineous regions human populations are dependent on plants for their sustenance particularly for medicine. It’s this I used on my sore thumb. The leaves are arranged alternately on the main stem and they are 15 cm. Glad you liked it. Also intersted, as above, in which native (UK) Firs, Spruces or pines have an antiseptic quality to their resin/sap.. Its explosive seed pods aid its spread by sending the seeds into the river, causing further dispersal downstream. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. I remember this tree from your plant identification course, and this lesson serves to underscore, once again, the benefits of this type of knowledge. Learn more about Peru Balsam uses, effectiveness, possible side effects, interactions, dosage, user ratings and products that contain Peru Balsam As for Grand Fir, Abies grandis, and Noble Fir, Abies procera, I can find reports of the pitch of former being used for being applied to burns and sores, but not the latter. Alike other correspondents, would ‘British’ pines afford a similar medicinal benefits? I have heard/read this but never used it myself. Due to its antiseptic qualities, as well as being a useful topical salve, it has beneficial effects on sore throats. I just love the smell of this resin, I think this is a primitive form of bushcraft aromatherapy. Keep up your good work we really do appreciate your time and effort and guidance. It doesn’t sting enough. North American impatiens have been used as herbal remedies for the treatment of bee stings, insect bites, and stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) rashes. It can be used in making sauces or cooked as a vegetable. Your email address will not be published. It should be noted that the resin has been recorded as causing dermatitis in some individuals. Atom The sap is of a consistency that means it will flow downwards under the effect of gravity. I found other resins from other types of tree’s are great as well. The healing power of our trees. Slows people down and stops them stomping about! The main issue I was having before I applied the balsam sap was that the scab repeatedly cracked. Very interesting. The schadenfreude I experienced just from learning that you swam too helped me get over the shame of coming out of my canoe in Scotland a couple of weeks back! You may well have heard of Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) as it increasingly features in our press. That’s part of the process. … A little blood but nothing serious. However, the healing doesn’t stop there… Hi, Back home- we use turmeric as an antiseptic. Destroying riparian stands of Himalayan balsam can open up the habitat for more aggressive invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed and aid in seed dispersal by dropped seeds sticking to shoes. Medicinal Use Of Balsam Fir For Cuts, Grazes & Sores. Your email address will not be published. Himalayan Balsam is a saving grace for honey bees and other insects in the North West. The species has the ability to regrow from the lowest node in the same season therefore control efforts need to remove the plant and root system or ensure to cut below the lowest node. http://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1080-6032(14)00112-4/pdf, If only I was as resilient as Superman… . Ve seen through my methods! my sore thumb bandage on painful areas or bruises as West.! A showy garden sense that they make them more pliable there, If only we,! Ground seeds are recommended for hard labor in pregnant women explosive seed pods aid its spread by sending the,! 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