Herbal Education

Peach is a supremely cooling remedy in the Rose Family, perfect for the summer. We most often work with the bark, flowers and leaves in herbalism, although the fruit is of course medicinal too. But for this monograph we’ll be focusing on the plant parts used to make medicinal preparations.

Read on to learn about Peach beyond just its culinary uses and get to know the medicine of this wonderful plant!

The resinous Cottonwood and Poplar Buds (Populus spp) have been used for medicine across cultures worldwide since ancient times, earning them the common name Balm of Gilead. As early as the 1100's Unguentum Populeon was mentioned in the incredible herbal text, The Trotula, as a lard-based salve that heavily featured buds of Populus species trees, most likely Black Poplar (Populus nigra), which is native to Eurasia. It was often prescribed for pain and fevers, which tracks, since the buds contain the analgesic anti-inflammatory constituent salicin. The recipe also calls for some witchy Nightshade Family plants including Mandrake, Henbane and Black Nightshade, the inclusion of which has caused some scholars and herbalists to theorize that this may have been a version of a witch's “flying ointment,” which was applied topically for its mind-altering and divinatory effects.