Desert Willow
NPS Photos Desert Willow flowers The flowers and seedpods were sometimes eaten. Willow wood is lightweight, strong, and does not rot easily. Desert willow branches are so pliable that they can be bent nearly in half without breaking. These properties allowed the construction of both rectangular and domed homes. Many tribes also constructed giant "baskets" as granaries to hold mesquite pods and other large quantities of food. Long, straight willow branches made bows and poles to knock fruit from plants. The bark was used to make shirts, breechclouts, and nets. A weak tea made from dried flowers was used as a hot poultice. The plant can also be used to treat skin and nail infections, yeast infections, and valley fever. |
Did You Know?
Tonto National Monument is home to a crested saguaro. Biologists disagree as to why some saguaros grow in this unusual form. Some speculate that it is a genetic mutation. Others say it is the result of lightning or freeze damage. About one in 150,000 saguaros develop this unusual growth.