Black Willow

Salix nigra

Warning
Pregnant women should not use asprin or any derative due to links with birth defects. Do not use if breast-feeding. Do not give to infants or children under the age of 2. Do not take while using any other blood thinners. May reduce blood sugar. Do not take for long periods of time as Salicylate poisoning can occur. Symptoms of Salycylate poisoning include dizziness, vomitting and ringing in ears. If these symptoms occur, call doctor immediately.

The Black Willow tree, though not as well know for its medicinal value as its close relative the White Willow, helps with the same ailments. It is a North American native. The Black Willow can grow up to 20 feet tall. The medicinal Willows have been well known for thousands of years for their healing value. The very popular pain reliever Aspirin © is a derivitive of the White Willow. The active ingredient in the formerly noted pain reliever is Salicylic Acid. This is also found in the human body after having ingested any of the medicinal Willows. The Willow's active ingredient is called Salicin, which is what is converted to Salicylic Acid when taken inwardly. Though lesser known, the Black Willow has all of the same healing properties as the White.

Dosage and Medicinal Value
The medicinal Willows have been known to reduce inflamation, to treat articular rheumatism, help with internal bleeding, and it is also good for heartburn and stomach problems. They help with headaches, minor aches and pains, as well as arthritis. The Black Willow has all of the same healing properties of its relative, the White, but it has been know to do some others as well. This type of willow can also be used as an anaphrodisiac, meaning, it subdues sexual urges.

The medicinal part of the Willow tree are the bark and buds. There are a few different ways to prepare it. First, it is best to collect the bark in Springtime. One preparation option would be to boil the bark for at least 20 minutes, then either take internally or as a poultice. A decoction can be made by soaking up to three teaspoons of bark in one cup of cold water for
up to five hours, and then boil down to a potent formula. To intake this you should take one cup unsweetend, no more than one a day. A decoction of Willow can be used to help with mouth problems, ie. you can gargle with it to help with inflamations of the gums and tonsils. A decoction can also be used externally for sores, burns, and cuts. To make a cold extract, soak one teaspoon of bark in one cup of cold water for up to ten hours and strain. You can make a powder by taking one to one and one-half teaspoons, three times a day. If taking a tincture, use ten to twenty drops as needed daily. Everything I've read about intaking a hot Willow drink says that it is important that it is taken in large gulps, not small sips.  

Magical Uses
In Ireland, harps were prodominately made out of Willow because the soul of the Willow tree was thought of as musical.  The Willow promotes healing, health, protection, and love.  Its planet is the Moon, its element is water. It is best to use Willow for moon magic and wishing magic. It has a feminine gender. Some folk names used for the Willow are the "Tree of Enchantment", "Osier", and "Sough Tree".  The Willow, in some traditions, have dieties which correspond to it. Some are Artemis, Ceres, Hecate, Persephone, Circe, Hera, Mercury, Belili, and many others. Willow wands are normally used in healing rituals. The branches are used to bind home made brooms. Planting a Willow by a spring or river will protect your home.

General Information:
A small to medium-sized tree that is the largest willow tree among native species. It prefers moist situations like banks of streams and lake shores, and requires plenty of light. Bark is dark-brown, rough, and covered with thick scales.

Leaves are simple, narrow, long, pointed, and alternately arranged along the branches. They are also finely toothed along the margins. The leaves are about 3 inches long on the average. The leaves are usually dark-green and smooth on the upper surface, and pale-green and sometimes hairy on the bottom surface.

The fruit is a small, smooth, reddish-brown capsule that ripens in May or June.

Harvesting and Growing
The Willow is a very easy tree to plant. ust take leafless, long branches and root them in moist soil. Willows don't take well to transplanting. They choose where they want to live, and if they can't live there, they won't live anywhere else. If you do decide to attempt to transplant them, you must first prune them considerably. Willows flower in mid-spring.