Herb latin name: Salix brachycarpa


Family: Salicaceae (Willow Family)



Medicinal use of Salix brachycarpa:

The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin, which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
140 cm
(4 1/2 foot)

Habitat of the herb:

Found in a wide range of habitats, including saline, calcareous and serpentine, from lowland to alpine elevations.

Edible parts of Salix brachycarpa:

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. Young shoots - not very palatable.

Other uses of the herb:

A salt tolerant coastal plant, it can be grown as part of a shelterbelt.

Propagation of Salix brachycarpa:

Seed - must be surface sown as soon as it is ripe in late spring. It has a very short viability, perhaps as little as a few days. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, November to February in a sheltered outdoor bed or planted straight into their permanent position and given a good weed-suppressing mulch. Very easy. Plant into their permanent positions in the autumn. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, June to August in a frame. Very easy.

Cultivation of the herb:

Found in a wide range of habitats, including saline, calcareous and serpentine, from lowland to alpine elevations.

Known hazards of Salix brachycarpa:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.