Balsam trees are found in northern and central Europe. Their medicinal property resides in the oil extracted from the needles, branch tips, or branches, and the fresh fir shoots.
All pines yield a certain amount of resin, obtained by tapping the trees.
This is distilled to make oil of turpentine and rosin. The latter is used for treating violin bows and making sealing wax, varnish, oil paints, and resinous soaps. Balsam is also used in the U.S. as an aroma for beer. Used medicinally, Balsam exerts a decongestant and antibacterial action. Applied to skin, it improves local circulation.