Botanical atlas

Polar Willow

Salix polaris

Long before willow bark became famous as the forerunner of aspirin, Arctic peoples including the Inuit, Sami, and Chukchi were already chewing the bark and twigs of polar willow or steeping them into a bitter tea to ease aches and bring down fever, drawing on the same salicin chemistry found in its larger willow cousins farther south. In a landscape with few tall plants to turn to, this humble creeping shrub was a genuine medicine chest, its inner bark peeled and used fresh when nothing else grew within reach. The twigs and catkins also served practical ends, woven into small baskets or gathered as emergency browse, and the plant's presence was often read as a sign of thawed, workable ground after the long winter.

In tradition.

Long before willow bark became famous as the forerunner of aspirin, Arctic peoples including the Inuit, Sami, and Chukchi were already chewing the bark and twigs of polar willow or steeping them into a bitter tea to ease aches and bring down fever, drawing on the same salicin chemistry found in its larger willow cousins farther south. In a landscape with few tall plants to turn to, this humble creeping shrub was a genuine medicine chest, its inner bark peeled and used fresh when nothing else grew within reach. The twigs and catkins also served practical ends, woven into small baskets or gathered as emergency browse, and the plant's presence was often read as a sign of thawed, workable ground after the long winter.

Traditional preparations.

Safety.

Willow bark contains salicin, chemically related to aspirin, so it carries the same cautions: avoid it with an aspirin allergy, stomach ulcers, a bleeding disorder, or blood thinners. Never give it to children or teens recovering from a viral illness due to the risk of Reye's syndrome, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.