Eastern Cottonwood
Biocultural Value
The bark contains salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps. An infusion of the bark has been used in the treatment of whooping cough and tuberculosis. A decoction of the bark has been used to rid the body of intestinal worms. The bark has been eaten as a treatment for colds. A tea made from the inner bark is used in the treatment of scurvy. The inner bark, combined with black haw bark (Crataegus douglasii) and wild plum bark (Prunus spp) has been used as a female tonic. A poultice of the leaves has been used as a treatment for rheumatism, bruises, sores and boils.
Wildlife Value
The Eastern cottonwood is a producer, transforming the sun’s energy into food energy. Field mice, rabbits, deer, and domestic livestock eat the bark and leaves of young cottonwood trees. The tree is also used for courtship, roosting, and nesting by many different species of game birds and songbirds. It is a pioneer species, one of the first to grow on a stream bank or floodplain site, beginning a chain of ecological succession that ultimately leads to a more biodiverse steady-state ecosystem.
