Words on Wellness • Willow
By Karin Uphoff
The door flies open and March whips in on a flourish of cold wind making it challenging for those sensitive to this change of season. These conditions cause a tendency to achy joints, roving muscle pain and general irritability. The first plant I think of for relief is willow and the good medicine it has to offer. There are 35 species of willow native to California but the coastal willow (Salix hookeriana) most commonly inhabits dunes, marshes and riverbanks. The other common species here is Pacific willow (Salix lasiandra), a tree with a single trunk. Willows are important to watery ecosystems as they transform any muddy chaos post flood and fire into a stable, vibrant habitat. The shade willow provides keeps water cool and clear for salmon, deer nibble on young leaves, birds nest in its thickets and bees feast on its pollen.
All species of willow have been used as a natural pain reliever for thousands of years. It contains salicin, the active ingredient in aspirin, but in the plant form, does not harm the stomach or liver. Now is a good time to harvest the inner bark of its branches and twigs. If the peeled bark smells slightly of wintergreen and tastes wickedly bitter with a sour after kick, that’s a good sign. Branches must be stripped of outer bark but small twigs can just be cut, before drying or made into fresh tincture. Willow leaves are also harvested and dried for medicine. Willow bark must be simmered to make a tea, while leaves are steeped. Use willow to reduce inflammation and pain or as a blood thinner (avoid regular use if you are on anticoagulant medication). Use it externally as a poultice, liniment or in a bath for bumps, bruises, swellings and burns. Willow flower remedy is specific for irritation and inflexibility. Take it to help go with the flow of life while staying strong and focused.
Willow even aids spring planting, since it contains natural rooting hormone in the tips of its shoots. Chop new willow shoots and cover with hot water to steep overnight, or place them in cold water and soak for 1-3 weeks. New cuttings can sit in the water before planting and will get off to a healthy start when they are watered twice with willow water.
