Balsam

Project Profile
  • Balsam is an oily, resinous, and odorous substance, which flows spontaneously or by incision from certain plants, and which the Church mixes with olive oil for use as chrism. The term balsam, however, is also applied to many pharmaceutical preparations and resinous substances which possess a balsamic odour.
  • Balsam is available in oil, gel, emulsion, solution, and ointment forms.
  • Balsam pear (Momordica charantia L.) is a herbaceous vine. It is a member of the Cucurbitacae family and is related to squash, melons and cucumbers.This crop is widely grown in China, India, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Taiwan, the US and, more rarely, in Australia. The most likely place of origin is China or India.
  • Balsam fir grows on a wide range of inorganic and organic soils originating from glaciation and generally falling within the acid Spodosol, Inceptisol, and Histosol soil orders.
  • Balsam fir is used primarily for Christmas trees and pulpwood, although some lumber is produced from it in New England and the Lake States. The wood is light in weight, low in bending and compressive strength, moderately limber, soft, and low in resistance to shock.
  • The boughs harvested from the balsam fir (Abies balsamea) are used in 98 percent of the wreaths manufactured. Balsam fir grows throughout the forested region of Minnesota and the northern portions of Wisconsin and Michigan. Balsam fir also grows throughout Canada including most of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
  • The balsam aroma is a popular fragrance worldwide, particularly in the perfume and fragrance industries. The U.S. market for the product has been estimated to be about 18,000 to 36,000 kg annually, valued at about US$325,000 to $650,000.
General
  • Populus balsamifera
  • Balsam
  • Plant Fact Sheet
  • Himalayan Balsam
  • Balsam Fir
  • Abies balsamea
  • Balsam Popolar
  • Balsam pear
  • Canadian balsam
  • Impatiens balsamina
  • Fact Sheet

Standards

  • Species Groups, Grademarks, Tally & Sizes Glued Products
  • United States Standards for Grades of
    Christmas Trees
  • Nova Scotia Christmas Tree Grading Standards.
  • Quality Christmas trees
  • Shearing West Virginia Balsam (Canaan) and Fraser Fir for Christmas Trees
  • Eastern Hemlock-Balsam Fir
  • Quality Makes All the Difference 

Products

  • Friar's Balsam compound
  • Peru Balsam Essential Oil
  • Balsam Oil
  • Balsam Peer Tea
  • Fresh Balsam Christmas Centerpieces
  • Colony Candles
  • Muscle Balsam
  • Balsam Fir Essential Oil

Processing

  • Soft Resins and Balsams
  • Balsam of Peru
  • A process-based model
  • Snow Process Model
  • Production technologies
  • External Knot Characteristics in balsam fir
Growth, Cultivation and Propagation
  • Growing Christmas Trees
  • Biological Aspects of Hybrid Poplar Cultivation
  • Abies balsamea
  • Balsam Fir
  • Propagation and Care
  • Populus 'Balsam Spire'
  • Balsam
  • Balsam Bough Harvesting
  • Balsam Boughs
  • Propagation of a Christmas tree
Patents and Projects
  • The Impact of Balsam Woolly Adelgid
  • Canada Balsam Wafers
  • Food Additive
  • Identification of fresh and aged Copaiva balsam
  • Balsam Avenue Neighborhood Improvement Project
  • Western balsam bark beetle
  • Project Report
Images
  • Balsam/Himalayan
  • Balsam Plant
Disease
  • Balsam woolly Adelgid
  • Balsam Twig Aphid
  • Balsam Fir Needle Gallmaker
  • Balsam Fir Sawfly
  • Balsam Woolly Adelgid
  • Quantitative Control

Reports

  • Cultivation of Wild Plants
  • Good pickin’s in the balsam woods
  • That Mysterious Fragrance
  • Annual Report
  • Case Study
  • Opinion on Balsam Extracts and Oils
  • Report upon the Use of a Mixture of Castor Oil and Balsam of Peru

Market

  • The balsam aroma
  • Medicine trees of the tropics
  • Outlook for Minnesota Wood Products
  • Balsam Boughs in Minnesota
  • Non-timber Forest Product Marketing
  • Balsam Bough and Wreath Industry in Minnesota
  • Non-timber Forest Products
Safety Issues
  • Safety Guidelines
  • Balsam Peru/Castor Oil/Trypsin Ointment
  • Balsam Peru - Dosage
  • Peru Balsam
  • Drug Information
  • Canada Balsam

Uses

  • Medicinal Uses
  • Balsamum Peruvianum
  • Bark and its Possible Uses
  • Sweet Gum
  • Skin and Aging

Buyers

  • Buying leads
  • Chewing Gum Manufacturers
  • Christmas Trees & Decorations
  • Importer
  • Buyers

Suppliers

  • Balsam Product Suppliers
  • Balsam - Selling Leads
  • Balsam Peer Extract Sellers
  • Canada Balsam Suppliers
  • Balsam Oil Companies
  • Pangaea Sciences, Inc
  • Granite State nursery
  • JSC Ussuriyskiy Balsam
  • The Lunenburg Balsam Fir Co-Op
  • Essential Oil, Balsam Manufacturers
  • Nova Scotia Balsam Fir
  • Peru Balsam Oil Manufacturers
  • Wilson Wreath Co. Ltd.
  • Essential Oil & Balsam Suppliers