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Cottonwood Trees (Populus Deltoides): Healing by the Balm of Gilead
Yes, today I’m writing about trees. Cottonwoods, to be exact. Growing up in the upper Midwest, cottonwood trees, specifically, the populus deltoides variety, are a staple part of the landscape. A large shade tree that loves the wet areas near rivers and streams, the tree grows rapidly and boasts bright green leaves in the summer and golden yellow in the fall. The Native American populations have revered the tree throughout the generations, as they used the large portions of the trunk for dugout canoes, the bark for medicinal tea, and the young sprouts and inner bark were eaten for the high nutritional value (Forney, NDSU, Nature at Confluence). Pioneers use…