https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200982909
The organism that I had spotted and identified is Salix discolor also known as Pussy Willow. I saw it on the trail near by my house. According to an Alaska Native medicines paper from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, these trees which can also be referred to as katkin willows, are often found blooming and flowering during the spring season. These trees also start out very shrub like, slowly growing into small trees, often seen sporting numerous branches. The Willow in my picture lacked the abundance of limbs since it seemed to have been pruned to keep the trail walkable. It also has a deep and storied history in medicines. There are records that have been dated as far back as 2400 years ago speaking of it’s medicinal properties, primarily for pain relief in ancient Greece with it’s bark being used for water infusions. It also was a key player in the development of Aspirin due to the high amount of salicin in the bark which is a potent anti inflammatory. It was and is still used to treat mouth sores through simply chewing on twigs or bark from the tree itself. The leaves from the tree are also edible and can be eaten cooked or just raw from the tree and often finds itself a target for moose and other foragers in Alaska. These willows are found in southern canada, the Northern US and of course the southern and eastern portions of Alaska.
Viereck, Eleanor G. ALASKA’S WILDERNESS MEDICINES. Alaska Northwest Books, 1987.
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I think a close-up of the bark would also help to narrow down the exact species of tree, but it probably is a Pussy Willow. I don’t know enough about trees to even come close to identification just by the bark, and since it’s a trail you frequent, it’s likely you know which tree it is because of the flowerings you have seen before.
I also have either a Beach or Willow tree growing in my front yard, the previous residents had trimmed it several times haphazardly, which has resulted in it growing a bush’s worth of branches on the lower trunk and it is getting quite out of hand now. I will have to address it over the summer, as it gets full sun all day long and may get too large for the property it claims.
It sounds like you had an exciting discovery! Salix discolor, commonly known as Pussy Willow, is a captivating plant with a storied past and valuable medicinal properties. Its presence near your home indicates its adaptability to various environments, especially in Alaska's southern and eastern regions. The tree's evolution from a shrub to a small tree, with its distinctive flowering patterns in spring, adds to its allure.
The historical use of Pussy Willow in ancient Greece for pain relief through bark infusions highlights its potent medicinal qualities. Its role in the development of Aspirin, thanks to its high salicin content, underscores its significance in modern medicine. The tree's edible leaves, consumed cooked or raw, further demonstrate its versatility and ecological importance as a food source for wildlife.
Your observation of the pruned tree along the trail showcases its adaptability to human landscapes, contributing to a balance between nature and human activities.
Thanks for an interesting and thorough post, Jack!
As with many of your peers this week, you need to bring more care to your use of MLA format, however, in order to avoid anything remotely like plagiarism. In your Journal entry you don't have any parenthetical citations to give credit to all of the facts you share. You attempt a signal phrase at the beginning of your post, but it doesn't work as a signal phrase, as it doesn't directly connect to the entry you give us in the Works Cited (remember: signal phrases and parenthetical citations have to be the same word(s) that begin their corresponding entries in the Works Cited). Review owl.purdue to clarify how you could correctly include in-text references throughout your Journal entry to avoid plagiarism.
I look forward to your future observations!
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