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Common Name: Sitka Willow

General Information

Salix sitchensis is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 7.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Western N. America - Alaska to California, east to Montana.

Habitat

Found mainly on rich mucky or other moist soils on the banks of streams and in low moist ground[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	7.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most soils, including wet, ill-drained or intermittently flooded soils[, ], but prefers a damp, heavy soil in a sunny position[]. Rarely thrives on chalk[].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[]. Although the flowers are produced in catkins early in the year, they are pollinated by bees and other insects rather than by the wind[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

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[].
Young shoots - cooked. Not very palatable[].

Medicinal

A concoction made from the boiled bark is used as a tonic[, ].
The bark is pounded and applied to wounds as a healing agent[, ].
An infusion of the stems has been used in the treatment of stomach complaints[].
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[].

Other Uses

The stems are very flexible and are used in basket making[, , ]. 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 roots have been used to make baskets[].
The bark is peeled, twisted and used for cordage[, , ].
Wood - light, soft, close grained[]. Used for fuel[].

Propagation

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, late autumn to late winter 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, early summer to August in a frame. Very easy.