Cottonwood Buds Being the nostalgic type and tree nerds from way back, we could hardly wait to start infusing our own Balm of Gilead oil. Made from the buds of the balsam poplar tree native to our homeland of northern Wisconsin, Balm of Gilead has been popular since biblical times for its medicinal properties. There is so much history and lore surrounding this amazing plant that we thought it was worth a write-up to share our tree knowledge with you! History & Lore Balm of