What are the uses of willow trees? A detailed guide to the main uses of willow trees

Willow is the general name for a group of plants such as dry willow, glandular willow, weeping willow, and Chinese wingnut. It is mainly used for ornamental planting in residential areas, gardens, schools, factories, hillsides, courtyards, roadsides, and in front of buildings. In traditional Chinese medicine, willow also shows many medicinal effects. Below, let us take a look together at what the uses of willow trees are!

The craft value of willow

The bark of willow contains tannins. Its wood is inferior to that of dry willow and can be used for utensils and as a raw material for papermaking. Willow catkins can be used to stuff chair cushions and pillows. The fiber from the bark of river willow branches can be used as a raw material for textiles and ropes, and the branches can be woven into hand baskets, carrying baskets, wicker boxes, and safety helmets. Willow wood is light, easy to cut, does not deform after drying, and has no special odor. It can be used for construction, pit props, box boards, and matchsticks. The wood has a high fiber content and is a raw material for papermaking and artificial cotton. Willow wood and willow branches are excellent fuelwood. Many kinds of willow twigs can be woven into baskets, boxes, hats, and more. Willow leaves can be used as feed for sheep, horses, and others.

The ornamental value of willow

Willow trees have graceful tree forms and leaf out and bloom early. In early spring the whole tree is tender green, making it one of the main tree species in parks of the northern temperate zone. For example, weeping willow and Korean weeping willow have slender, drooping branches and willow leaves like eyebrows. Many shrub willows tolerate pruning and can be cultivated into hedges or shrubs of various shapes. For waterside landscaping in garden landscapes, willow is most suitable, such as the “Orioles Singing in the Willows” at West Lake in Hangzhou and the “Peach Stream and Willow Bank” at Huaxi in Guiyang. There are also many beautiful willows yet to be developed. When in full bloom, the branches spread out in all directions, giving courtyards strips of green and offering high ornamental value. They are truly ideal tree species for beautifying courtyards. They are highly resistant to air pollution and dust, making them suitable for growing in urban courtyards, especially beside ponds or streams.

The environmental value of willow

Sweden obtains bioenergy by cultivating short-rotation coppice willow. Its afforestation land is mainly agricultural land, and the biomass produced is used in district heating plants for combined heat and power production. While producing bioenergy, willow coppice can also play a role in removing pollutants and remediating the environment. Sweden has successfully used willow coppice to treat urban wastewater, landfill leachate, industrial wastewater (such as wastewater after spraying logs at sawmills), sewage sludge, and sawdust. This is mainly through plant uptake to reduce pollutants and excess nutrients in water and soil, and to promote the degradation of organic pollutants by soil microorganisms. This process is called phytoremediation.

The medicinal value of willow

1. Willow flowers: Willow flowers, also called willow seeds, are cool in nature and soft. Used as pillow filling, they have the effect of calming the mind and inducing sleep. If willow flowers are ground fine, they can treat jaundice, hemoptysis, hematemesis, bloody stool, and amenorrhea in women. External use can also treat toothache.

2. Willow leaves: Willow leaves have the same effects as willow catkins. They are rich in tannins and have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, draining dampness and reducing swelling. Taken as a decoction, they can treat upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, cystitis, mumps, and pharyngitis. Mashed and applied externally, they can treat heel pain.

3. Willow branches: Willow branches are a traditional wonderful bone-setting medicine in traditional Chinese medicine. Taken as a decoction, they can treat coronary heart disease, chronic bronchitis, urinary tract infections, and burns and scalds. Used in decoction for fumigation and washing, they have a marked effect on rheumatic and rheumatoid arthritis.

4. Willow roots: Willow roots can dispel wind and drain dampness, reduce swelling, and relieve pain. They can treat acute mastitis, toothache, otitis media, jaundice, and other diseases. Boiled with wine and drunk, their effects of dispelling wind, reducing swelling, and relieving pain are even better.

5. Willow bark: Willow bark can eliminate phlegm and improve eyesight, clear heat, and dispel wind. Used in decoction for fumigation and washing, it can also treat stubborn scabies and ringworm.

6. Willow debris: Willow debris is the frass in holes bored by insects in willow trees. Decocted in water for bathing or stir-fried hot and wrapped in cloth for warm compress, it can treat pruritic rash and dermatitis.