Edible Parts: Inner bark  Leaves  Shoots
Edible Uses:

Inner bark - raw or cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and then added to cereal flour for use in making bread etc. A very bitter flavour, it is a famine food that is only used when all else fails[172]. Young shoots - raw or cooked. They are not very palatable[172].

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Anodyne  Antiinflammatory  Antiperiodic  Antiseptic  Astringent  Diaphoretic  Diuretic  Dysentery  
Febrifuge  Hypnotic  Sedative  Tonic

The bark is anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antiperiodic, antiseptic, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, hypnotic, sedative, tonic[4, 7, 9, 21, 165]. It has been used in the treatment of gonorrhoea, ovarian pains and nocturnal emissions[4]. The bark of this species is used interchangeably with S. alba. It is taken internally in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, inflammatory stages of auto-immune diseases, diarrhoea, dysentery, feverish illnesses, neuralgia and headache[238]. The bark can be used as a poultice on cuts, wounds, sprains, bruises, swellings etc[257]. The bark is removed during the summer and dried for later use[238]. The leaves are used internally in the treatment of minor feverish illnesses and colic[238]. The leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season and are used fresh or dried[238]. The fresh bark contains salicin, which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body[213]. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge[213] and as an ingredient of spring tonics[229].

Basketry  Charcoal  Hair  Paper  Soil stabilization  Tannin  Wood

The young stems are very flexible and are used in basket and furniture making[171, 229]. The twigs can be split in half lengthways, sun-dried and used as the foundation of coiled basketry[257]. The plant is usually coppiced annually when grown for basket making, though it is possible to coppice it every two years if thick poles are required as uprights. A fibre obtained from the stems is used in making paper[189]. The stems are harvested in spring or summer, the leaves are removed and the stems steamed until the fibres can be stripped. The fibres are cooked for 2 hours with lye and then beaten with mallets or put through a blender. The paper is red/brown in colour[189]. The trees are often used in erosion control, their roots forming dense networks that stabilize stream banks[229]. The bark is a good source of tannin[46, 227]. A decoction or infusion of the bark can be used as a hair wash to make the hair grow[257]. Wood - not durable, light, soft and weak but does not splinter, warp or check[82, 149]. The wood is tough and fairly strong according to another report[171]. It weighs 27lb per cubic foot[227]. Used where strength is not important, for artificial limbs, barn floors etc[82, 123, 149]. A good charcoal is also obtained from the wood[61]. Dynamic accumulator.

Special Uses

Dynamic accumulator