BALM OF GILEAD was an ancient, highly-valued salve or ointment which was used to soothe and heal.
Mentioned several times in the Bible and named for the region of Gilead where it was produced, it was a major commodity of trade in the ancient world. Its name became associated with the power to heal and soothe. "There is a Balm in Gilead" is an African-American spiritual that compares the healing balm to the saving power of Jesus - the one true treatment that never fails to heal our wounds: spirit, soul and body.
Jer 8:21-22 "Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wounds of my people?".
Botanical Information:
Balm of Gilead is a deciduous tree that grows at a fast rate, reaching up to 100 feet tall at maturity. It is a hybrid tree resulting from a cross between the poplar and cottonwood trees. It now commonly refers to the buds of a species of North American poplar.