Day 3: Poplar leaf bud tea
- Sarah-Jane Cobley
- Apr 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 5
Populus nigra
I knew that I’d better be quick if I wanted to catch the leaf buds for my tea before they open up. There’s been a carpet of long red catkins for the past week beneath my feet as I walk through our local park.
I wasn’t sure there would be a branch hanging low enough for me to reach, and sure enough, the task had me back in a bramble bush!
ID features
I’d say the main thing that stands out about this tree is its scent. When I Googled, “what does balsam smell like?” this is the AI response I got;
“balsam generally smells fresh, slightly sweet, and resinous, with earthy undertones, evoking a sense of a peaceful walk through a forest or a warm comforting, and natural fragrance”.
Whenever I pass a poplar tree in the spring, I can smell it before I see it. The buds, catkins and leaves all have the same distinctive smell, and I love it.
Another very distinctive feature is the way the leaves shimmer and shake in the breeze. Even more so when the leaves are older and thicker. Thomas Hardy said that a tree can be identified by its susurration. This phenomenon was shared on a BBC Radio 4 show where Bob Gilbert described the sound of poplar as like;
“the running of a young mountain stream”.
I heard that poplar can be seen as a gentle reminder that trembling is a natural response to fear and stress that allows energy to flow through, rather than stopping it in its tracks. Movement, as we know, is an outlet for adrenaline and stress hormones that wreak havoc when held within the confines of our bodies.
You may notice the similarity of the branches with that of ash. Both have a swooping upwards shape, however, the poplar has narrower red and more pointed buds, while ash buds are black and stubby with a point.
Medicinal uses
The poplar buds have been traditionally harvested for their resin. They would have been dried to remove the moisture, then soaked in some sort of fat or oil for a time, (you could try olive oil for 8 weeks), then pressed and hardened into a balm with beeswax.
This is known as Balm of Gilead.
It is fantastic when used as a chest rub, especially for bronchitis-like conditions. It is antiseptic, warming, anti-inflammatory and analgesic.
It is a salicylic acid containing herb, related to willow and birch. This means you can use their medicine for the things you would use aspirin for. (Except this version doesn’t cause ulcers in your stomach lining like aspirin does).
Take it for colds and ‘flu to reduce fever and body aches, as well as any inflammation.
How to make a cuppa
For my cup I put in 4 pointy leaf buds and hot water. Then a fascinating thing happened; the buds opened! Almost like a flower opening, mini tulip shaped, with red outer petals, and green inner. They float looking beautiful.
I also made a discovery that catkin buds do not open when you add water. They sink. On closer inspection of a branch, each tip consisted of just one leaf bud with a number of catkin buds surrounding it.
Taste
The taste is much like the scent. The first time I poured myself this wild tea I found myself transformed into a cat with catnip. I had such an eager appetite for it, it surprised me. I still feel excited at this rare, once a year fresh treat.
It is aromatic, floral, honey-like with a kind of tang on your tongue and throat.
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For those Local to me:
My next herb walk is at 6.30pm on Tuesday 15th April. Meet in Peel Park, (on the Community Centre side), in Long Ashton, North Somerset, BS41 9DP. Bring a flask of hot water for a foraged tea.
There will also be a walk in Ashton Court on Tuesday 22nd April. Meet at the entrance to the rose garden with a flask of hot water. We must be mindful that the gates to the grounds are shut at sunset, (8pm), and so we will finish promptly at 7.40pm.
£10 cash on arrival, or pre-pay option via: https://www.healthneedsthyme.co.uk/services
Herbal Medicine Consultations
I am a qualified medical herbalist, trained in much the same way as a GP. However, my medicines are from nature's larder. They nourish and strengthen so that your body can heal itself. I offer consultations via video call and send tonics out in the post. Email me to book an appointment: sarah-janecobley@healthneedsthyme.co.uk
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