Cottonwood Buds Balm of Gilead, Populus trichocarpa

Known for their amazing aroma and remarkable healing qualities. Cottonwood buds are one of my favorite winter harvests. Winter storms break branches and sometimes knock over whole trees, making picking these fallen gifts a very ethical harvest. You can harvest the buds and twigs from mid-November, if you don’t mind dealing with the leaves, to early march up to two weeks after the Indian plum starts blooming. The sticky resinous buds mark your hands and make for a wonderfully fragrant harvest.