Aye Dave, this is yet another friend to greet in the forest. I applied balsam fir sap for a number of days and this was enough to get my thumb well under way to healing properly, all the while still on the trip. Schedule 9: The main piece of […] I remember this tree from your plant identification course, and this lesson serves to underscore, once again, the benefits of this type of knowledge. Whether I held the paddle on my left or right, my grip on the paddle meant that I had to bend my thumb. It wasn’t a problem in reality though. Best Wishes 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. With gratitude and respect, I thank you, and look forward to more. A little blood but nothing serious. impatiens glandulifera is a ANNUAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft) at a fast rate. Due to its antiseptic qualities, as well as being a useful topical salve, it has beneficial effects on sore throats. However, the healing doesn’t stop there… Thanks for giving us something to try with the flowers themselves. They are also used after poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) contact to prevent a rash from developing. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. I take it that like other coniferous saps it’s stickiness meant that it dirt would stick to the surface so a thick layer would be needed to keep it out of the cut? On still, warm mornings, virtually every flowerhead is nodding under the weight of feeding bees. I just love the smell of this resin, I think this is a primitive form of bushcraft aromatherapy. Its explosive seed pods aid its spread by sending the seeds into the river, causing further dispersal downstream. Also are you planning on running any wilderness first aid courses next year?regards, I have used balsam fir resin on cuts in the past with some good results. Not only did it help the soreness, it stopped the skin/scab from cracking any further. and belongs to the plant family Balsaminaceae. 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! Himalayan Balsam regrows annually from the seeds which are viable for 2 years therefore any control efforts must be carried out before the seed pods are produced for maximum effect. 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… . Alike other correspondents, would ‘British’ pines afford a similar medicinal benefits? 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. Glad I was able to find the time to share a bit more about this tale. Additionally, after dying back in the fall, bare riverbanks are exposed, increasing erosion during higher winter flows. Its flowers are used as a substitute for Henna and dyeing finger-nails in some parts of Asia. 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. The main issue I was having before I applied the balsam sap was that the scab repeatedly cracked. Is there an equivalent pine in Nothern Europe? No wildlife trust or National Park use chemicals to remove Himalayan balsam. The sap has both antiseptic and analgesic properties. It has also been cultivated in Europe. 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. Another fine article and one for the mental First Aid cupboard ! The garden Balsam is an annual, soft-stemmed, upright plant, which grows to a height of 30-90 cm. Required fields are marked *. 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/. It self-sows vigorously, and takes over any area where it seeds, driving out native plants. It is also used to treat sore nipples and is said to be one of the best curatives for a sore throat. Can you use the sap from Balsam fir blisters to mix with beeswax and jojoba oil to make beeswax wraps? They are useful for substituting in cakes instead of nuts for those with nut allergies and ground himalayan balsam seeds can be substituted for ground almonds. 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. Interesting re turmeric. And it worked a treat. The gem of burdock is its root and it has been used as essential oil, health tonic and tea. Adrian. What I mean is which more commonly found UK Firs, Spruces and Pines? This was after it becoming gradually worse over the course of 4 or 5 days. What I don’t have access to, however, is any information on how its anti-microbial or anti-inflammatory effectiveness changes over time after being removed from the tree. Hermaphrodite ( has both male and female organs ) and is now recorded throughout the UK, particularly the! 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