Acimosihkansak (Pussy Willow)

Happy Spring! The fuzzy silver nubs along Acimosihkansak (Cree), or Pussy Willow, branches are exclaiming that longer, warmer days are near!  

The Seneca have passed down a story about how Pussy Willow got its soft buds: 

One winter day, Rabbit tired himself out while playing on top of snow banks and decided to rest on the high branch of a Pussy Willow tree. He was so exhausted that while he was sleeping, Spring arrived. When Rabbit woke up, he saw that the snow had melted to reveal lush grass below – and just how high above the ground he was. He was very hungry and wanted a nibble of the green grass, so he jumped from the tree. On his way down, Rabbit’s bushy tail got caught on the branches, leaving a trail of his fur behind.

Acimosihkansak is an important medicine because it contains salicin, which converts to salicylic acid in the body. The Cree have made an infusion with the inner bark of Acimosihkansak to treat upset stomachs. And the Potawatomi have used Pussy Willow as a universal remedy due to salicylic acid’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-fungal, and pain relief properties. Western scientists took notice and today, salicylic acid is synthetically manufactured into aspirin. 
Native communities have also utilized Pussy Willow for textiles and tools. The Cree have created fishing nets, snowshoe frames, and whistles from Acimosihkansak bark as well as baskets and bead weaving looms from the tree’s stems.

The buds of male Acimosihkansak and most male willow plants have soft coatings, which shed to reveal their bursting golden flowers. The flowers support pollinators including Mourning Cloak and Viceroy butterflies, which Acimosihkansak is the larval host for. 

Now is the time to spot this beautiful plant and its special features. Be on the lookout for Acimosihkansak during your next stroll and let us know when you spot it! 

*Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult a doctor before using this plant for a medical purpose.*

Sources: Online Cree Dictionary, Indian Time, “Rabbit and Pussy-Willow a Seneca Just-So Story”, Northern Woodlands, “Beyond the Pussy Willow”, Native American Ethnobotany DataBase, An Ethnobotany of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: A Baseline Study Emphasizing Plant Relationships of the Miami and Potawatomi Peoples, Enrique Salmon: Iwígara, N.C. Cooperative Extension, “Salix discolor”, Brooklyn Botanic Garden,“What Are Pussy Willows, Anyway?”, Dyck Arboretum Of The Plains, “Catkins: Spring’s Botanical Wonder”, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center,“Salix discolor”