Both trees originate from Central and South America: the tolu balsam tree from the city of Tolu in Colombia and the Peru balsam tree mainly from San Salvador, as well as Guatemala, Mexico and Costa Rica. Some cultures exist in Jamaica and Sri Lanka. The name is based on the fact that exports used to go through Peru; however, the tree does not grow in Peru itself.
Peru balsam as a medicine
The drug, Peru balsam, is the soft resin of the tree. Peruvian balsam is a dark, aromatic liquid extracted from the swollen stems.
Characteristics of the Peru balsam tree
The Peru balsam tree is an evergreen tree up to 19 m tall, with an ovoid crown and smooth bark with many cork pores. The mostly unpaired leaves are usually pinnate and covered with glands. The tree bears white flowers, which are in clusters, and light brown seed pods.
There are two variations of the tree, the first (Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae) yields Peru balsam, the second (Myroxylon balsamum var. balsamum) yields Tolu balsam.
Extraction of Peru balsam
Peru balsam is a dark brown, viscous liquid that does not draw threads and is not sticky. Spread out in a thin layer, the color is rather yellowish-brown.
To obtain the balsam, trees about 10 years old are stripped of their bark piece by piece towards the end of the rainy season and the exposed areas are then smoldered with fire for a few minutes. After a few days this wound stimulus leads to the emergence of the balsam, which is absorbed by applied rags. This procedure is repeated after a few days.
Finally, by boiling and squeezing the rags and then separating them from the water, the balsam is obtained. When the tree has recovered for a few years, balsam can be obtained from it again.
This is how Peru balsam smells and tastes.
The smell of Peru balsam is reminiscent of vanilla. The taste of the balsam is scratchy and somewhat bitter.
