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Populus trichocarpa
Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) is one of the great medicine trees of the Pacific Northwest, towering along riverbanks, floodplains, and moist forest edges. Often reaching heights of 40–60 metres, it is one of the largest deciduous trees in North America and is deeply woven into the ecology of Vancouver Island. Its broad, shiny leaves shimmer in the wind, its grey bark deepens with age, and every spring its resinous buds release a warm, balsamic fragrance that has become one of the signatures of coastal springtime. These sticky, aromatic buds are the heart of its medicine and share their properties with the wider Populus family, including cottonwoods, balsam poplars, and aspens.
Habitat & Growth Pattern
Black Cottonwood thrives anywhere water moves. It is found along streambanks, deltas, forest edges, and wet, nutrient-rich soils where disturbance is common. The tree is a natural land healer—one of the first to return after floods, logging, or erosion—stabilizing soil, building shade, and creating shelter for birds and mammals. Like other members of the Populus family, cottonwoods form extensive root systems and often grow in large stands, knitting the land together and supporting the surrounding ecosystem.
Ethical Harvesting
Because the resin-rich buds require considerable energy for the tree to produce, ethical harvesting is essential. The most sustainable way to gather medicine is to collect buds from fallen branches knocked down during winter storms. If harvesting directly from the tree, only take a very small amount and spread your harvest widely. Populus species are generous, but their generosity should always be met with gratitude, restraint, and attention to the health of the stand.
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Medicinal Uses
The entire Populus family is known for its potent medicinal resin. The spring buds are exceptionally rich in salicylates, the natural anti-inflammatory compounds that inspired the development of aspirin. These salicylates work synergistically with the tree’s aromatic resins, flavonoids, and terpenes to offer powerful relief from inflammation, pain, and irritation. Unlike isolated aspirin, Populus medicine is buffered by the complexity of the whole plant, making it gentler on digestion while providing broad-spectrum healing effects.
Black Cottonwood and its relatives are traditionally used to ease sore muscles, joint pain, headaches, injury-related inflammation, and deep-seated tension in the body. The warming, stimulating nature of the resin helps disperse stagnation and increase circulation, which makes it particularly effective for cold, tight, or inflamed tissues. In respiratory health, the buds offer antimicrobial and expectorant actions, supporting the lungs during coughs, congestion, and sore throats. Topically, the resin becomes an excellent vulnerary—supportive for wounds, scrapes, minor burns, and slow-healing skin conditions.
Dosage
When used as an oil Black Cottonwood can be used as often as needed as long as no irritation or bruising occurs. Taken internally the resins are strong medicine and should be used sparingly for short periods of time.
