Willow

(Salix spp.,)

Salix Species Commonly Found Throughout
The United States

Black willow (S. nigra)
Carolina willow (S. caroliniana)
Crack willow (S. fragilis)
Prairie willow (S. humilis)
Pussywillow (S. discolor)
Sandbar willow (S. exigua syn S. interior)
Shining willow (S. lucida)
Swamp willow (S. myrtilloides)
Weeping willow (S. babylonica)
White willow (S. alba)

Range: Non-Native


Family:
Salicaceae – Willow family

Growth Type:
A riparian deciduous woody tree. Willow species easily hybridize. They can range from small flexible bushes to tall erect trees.

Height:
Can grow up to 37 meters tall (approximately 120ft).

Leaves:
Most willow leaves are lance shaped, with a serrated margin, a darker green top and a lighter green underside that is often covered in fine, silky, white, hairs. The leaves can have almost no petiole to one that can be an inch or more in length. The leaves of different willow species can range from 1-7 inches long and ¼ to 2-½ inch wide.

Stem/Trunk:
The bark is gray-brown and in older trees, deeply fissured. Younger twigs are gray-brown to green-brown.

Root:
The roots of all species are extremely flexible and strong.

Flower Season:
Spring

Flower Appearance:
This species is dioecious (meaning that each individual is either male or female). The catkins on the male are typically 1½ to 2 inches long while those of the female tend to be 1¼ to 1½ inches long.

Seed/Fruit:
In mid-summer when they mature, the female catkins contain numerous small capsules that each contain multiple very small seeds embedded in white fluff. This fluff aids the tree to dispurse its seeds via the wind.

Miscellaneous characteristics:
There are over 400 species of willow in the world. Many species native to Europe and Asia have been transplanted as ornamentals throughout the world. As they escaped cultivation, they have become naturalized to these countries as well. Salix alba, or White Willow is one of these naturalized trees. It was originally native to Europe and Western and Central Asia.

Habitat:
Moist soils of swamps, dense woods, stream banks, or yards.

Parts Used:
Buds, catkins, Inner bark of trunk, root, or twigs.

Culinary Uses:
While not great tasting, the buds are edible when they emerge. So too are the catkins. Both can be eaten raw, or as a cooked vegetable. The inner bark is also edible, but only as a last resort. All willows should be considered as survival food.

Energetics
Taste: Bitter
Thermal: Cooling
Humidity: Drying

Traditional Medicinal Uses:
As the family name Salicaceae implies, Salix species all contain salicin , the forerunner of modern aspirin. The inner bark has traditionally been used to treat atrial fibrillation, cramps (musclular and menstrual), arthritis, inflammation, general pain, muscular pain and nerve pain.

The caveat I would offer about Salix species, is that the salicin levels can vary greatly from species to species, as well as from individual to individual within the same species. Because of this, once you find a plant that works well for you, harvest a bit and return as needed. This preserves the host, and provides you with effective medicine for years to come.

Medicinal Actions:
Analgesic, Antiarthritic, Anti-Inflammatory, Febrifuge, Odontalgic, Stomachic