Panel #6 of the Self-Guided Tour of the Weeds of Australia: Black Willow
Here’s a teaser of what you can find in the PDF panel below:
Medicinal Uses: Anodyne; Antiinflammatory; Antiperiodic; Antiseptic; Astringent; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Febrifuge; Hypnotic; Sedative; Tonic.
The bark has been used in the treatment of gonorrhoea, ovarian pains and nocturnal emissions.
The bark of this species is used interchangeably with S. alba. It is taken internally in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, inflammatory stages of auto-immune diseases, diarrhoea, dysentery, feverish illnesses, neuralgia and headache.
The bark can be used as a poultice on cuts, wounds, sprains, bruises, swellings etc. The bark is removed during the summer and dried for later use.
The leaves are used internally in the treatment of minor feverish illnesses and colic.
The leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season and are used fresh or dried.
The fresh bark contains salicin, which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge and as an ingredient of spring tonics.
