Herb. No. 021 · Salicaceae
River willow of Europe and western Asia.
Native · Europe
Native Also grown
OpenCautionplant
White willow
Salix alba
Riverside tree whose bitter bark is the folk parent of aspirin, used for dull inflammatory pain.
Salicin and related phenolic glycosides convert in the body toward salicylic acid. Onset is slower and gentler than a tablet of aspirin, and the dose is harder to know. Same family cautions apply: bleeding, stomach lining, children with viral illness (Reye risk).
Flavor
Aspirin-bitter bark with a green willow astringency.
Parts used
Young bark
In favor
- Historically important, still useful for dull pain
- Tree you can coppice
Against
- Same risks as salicylates
- Slow onset
- Bark harvest can wound a tree if greedy