By Amelia E. Stone, RN
Common Name: Fir (Balsam)
Latin Binomial: Abies balsamea
Family: Pinaceae
Other Common Names: blister or balm-of-Gilead fir, eastern fir or Canada balsam
Production Method: steam distilled
Countries of Origin: Canada
Typical Constituents: b-Pinene (28.1-56.1%), δ-3-Carene (0-27.3%), Bornyl acetate (4.9-16.2%), α-Pinene (6.2-14.3%), [+]-Limonene (1.8-15.6%), b-Phellandrene (4.4-12.6%), Camphene (3.5-9.7%), α + b-Terpineol (0.6-4.5%), Thymol (0-2.9%), b-Myrcene (0.6-2.3%), Borneol (0.3-2.1%), Tricyclene (0.6-1.7%), Terpinolene (0.2-1.7%), Santene (0.3-1.4%),
Description of Oil: pale yellow to clear
Description of Plant: An evergreen conifer, 40-90 feet tall; it can live over 200 years. It has open branches with short flat resinous leaves and cylindrical cones. Older trees will have brown, scaly bark.
History, Folklore and Myth: Abies is from the Latin, ‘fir tree’ and balsamea from the Latin, ‘balsamlike’.
Properties and Uses: antiseptic, antiviral, decongestant, expectorant
Precautions and Contraindications: none known
Other Interesting Information: opens up the lungs, supports the immune system
References: Tisserand, Robert, and Tony Balacs. Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. 1995.
Shutes, Jade. Advanced Aromatherapy Certification Program. East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies. 2014