Edible Parts: Inner bark  Leaves  Manna  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]. The source of an edible manna[183]. No further details.

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Anodyne  Aphrodisiac  Astringent  Febrifuge  Ophthalmic  Stimulant

The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin[226], which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body[213]. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge[226]. A decoction of the leaves is used in the treatment of fevers[240]. A distilled water from the flowers is aphrodisiac, cordial and stimulant[240]. It is used externally in the treatment of headaches and ophthalmia[240]. The ashes of the wood are useful in the treatment of haemoptysis[240]. The stems and the leaves are astringent[240]. A gum and the juice of the trees are used to increase visual powers[240].

Basketry  Charcoal  Hedge  Hedge  Leather  Pioneer  Shelterbelt  Tannin  Wood

Landscape Uses: Border, Massing, Pollard, Standard, Specimen. The stems are very flexible and are used in basket making[61]. 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. The bark is tough and flexible, it is used as a substitute for leather[115]. The bark contains around 10% tannin[223]. The plant is fast growing and tolerant of maritime exposure, it can be used as a windbreak hedge and shelterbelt though it is of untidy habit[75]. The seeds are very light and so can travel some distance in the wind. The plant is therefore able to find its way to areas such as cleared woodland where the soil has been disturbed. Seedlings will grow away quickly, even in exposed conditions and the plant will provide good shelter for the establishment of woodland plants. Thus it makes a good pioneer species and, except in wetter and moorland-type soils, will eventually be largely out-competed by the other woodland trees. Its main disadvantage as a pioneer plant is that it has an extensive root system and is quite a greedy plant, thus it will not help as much in enriching the soil for the other woodland plants as other pioneer species such as the alders, Alnus species[K]. Some cultivars can be grown as ground cover[208]. 'Pendula' is female whilst 'Kilmarnock' is a male, they should be spaced about 1.5 metres apart each way[208]. Wood - soft, elastic, easily split. Used for baskets, rugs etc[46, 61]. A good quality charcoal is made from the wood[46, 61]. Dynamic accumulator.

Special Uses

Ground cover  Hedge  Hedge