Wild, this county
Black willow
Salix nigra
The original aspirin tree. Tea for an adult ache or low fever — with the same warnings as aspirin.
Same family of risk as aspirin: do not give to children or teens with a viral illness (Reye’s). Not if they have an aspirin allergy, a bleeding problem, or are on blood thinners. Not a substitute for a heart-attack aspirin chew unless that is all you have and they are an adult.
- Part used
- Young twigs and inner bark, scraped in spring
- Gather
- Creek and ditch willows. Green-gold catkins. Scrape thin new bark in April–May.
- Tea
- 1–2 tsp dried inner bark simmered 10 minutes. Bitter. Honey helps.
- Tincture
- Dry bark 1:5 in 80 proof, 4 weeks.
Recipes
Willow bark decoction
Adult ache and low fever tea from creek willow. Treat it like aspirin that tastes of wet wood.