Medicinal Monday...the Wonders of White Willow

Medicinal treatment using herbs has long been recognized as being an instinctive use of plants to help cure certain ailments. Many plants and herbs have a long history of culinary and medicinal use and many of the things we take today are based on herbal remedies. Aspirin, for example, was created from two plants, the white willow, and meadowsweet. Native Americans were quite knowledgeable about both plants.

About White Willow

The white willow (Salix alba) gets its name from the silvery-white underside of its leaves. It is native to Europe and Central Asia and was brought to the United States in the 1700s.  It is now naturalized in much of the country.  It is a majestic tree that is one of the first to leaf in the spring and one of the last trees to lose its leaves in the fall.  This is a relatively fast-growing tree that can reach up to 80 feet. The bark of the tree is furrowed and grayish in color with yellow-brown branches and twigs. The leaves are green on top with a white downy underside that gives this tree its name. The leaves turn a beautiful bronze color in the fall. This tree thrives in wetlands and is often found around ponds, streams, and lakes.

Medicinal and General Uses White Willow
White willow is a staple in medicinal treatment in many Native American communities. The Cherokee chewed white willow twigs for hoarseness.  They make tea from white willow bark and use it to treat pain, chills, and fever. They also made a preparation with white willow twigs, bark and pussy willows to treat a number of ailments including the treatment of fever. Sometimes the bark was ground into flour and bread was made. 

This tree is not only used medicinally. It also has several practical uses.  For example, the bark and twigs of the white willow tree are collected in the spring to make baskets.  The bark is easiest to remove this time of year because this is when the sap begins to flow.  Many containers and types of baskets in all sizes and shapes were made from this beautiful tree.

White Willow Tree in Autumn

Did You Know

White willows are the original source of salicylic acid, the precursor of aspirin.

White willow was used by the Chinese as a pain remedy since 500 B.C.

There are around 400 species of willow trees around the world.

The white willow tree is the largest species of willow trees that can grow over 80 feet tall.

Willow trees do not live long. A willow tree that is 70 years old is considered a very old tree.

Willow wood is used to make charcoal for drawing.

Willow wood is used to make baskets, brooms, boxes and cricket bats.