What are some ethnobotanical uses for the for the Cottonwood Tree?

Question

My preference is Native American uses, but any info will do.

Answer 1

Edible Uses
Gum; Inner bark; Sweetener.
Inner bark[105, 161, 177] There are no more details but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread.

A 'honeydew', produced on the undersides of leaves by aphis, was collected by various native North American Indian tribes and used as a sweetener[227].

The buds have been used as a chewing gum[257].

Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Analgesic; Antiinflammatory; Antiscorbutic; Febrifuge; Odontalgic.

A tea made from the inner bark is used in the treatment of scurvy[161].

The bark contains salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body[213, 226, 238]. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps[238].

The woolly fruit is moistened and applied to the gums in order to treat infections[226].

A tea made from the fruits is used in the treatment of toothache[226].

Other Uses
Basketry; Rooting hormone; Soil stabilization; Wood.
An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day[172].

The young shoots are used in making baskets[227, 257].

The highly developed root system helps to reduce erosion when trees are planted on banks and slopes[226].

Wood - weak, soft, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion[11, 227]. It weighs 24lb per cubic foot[235]. The tree's scarcity and small size make it commercially unimportant, though it is sometimes used locally for fence posts and fuel[227, 229].

Answer 2

If you are refering to the hybrid cottonwoods that are grown for pulp on both the east and west sides of or and wa they are a good choice for fast. The large mills grow them for pulp because they grow and mature to harvest size in under 7 years. After 7 years a tree is considered a timber crop with all the regulations of timber. Call your extension office about seedlings or find a patch of them and take 3' long cuttings. Stick them in a small 2' deep hole and they will all start. Happy planting