Range: From Newfoundland north to Ontario and Alaska, and south to Mexico across New Jersey and Virginia to Montana and Tennessee.

Native Use

The inner bark of the Aspen is one of best medicines for flu. It has a slightly sweet taste, almost like a turnip. It is useful in recurrent fevers and wherever a good tonic and strengthening medicine is needed. It can be used freely. In the early summer, if the outside bark is peeled, a sweet syrup can be scraped off the inner bark. Children love this syrup.

The Huron - Chew the inner bark. The Aspen bark is known as a remedy for diseases of the liver and kidneys. It helps to relieve fever and light-headedness. A tea made from the bark is drunk to strengthen the stomach and stimulate appetite.

The Naudowessies - In Spring, the Naudowessies eat the inside bark. It is brittle then and easily chewed. Aspen is extremely nourishing.

The Cree - Called "metoos." The Cree cut the bark in thin flat 1/2" wide strips or in thinner pieces torn in shreds. It is used in coughs, half an ounce, in the form of decoction. The inner bark is eaten in the spring and considered to act as a mild laxative.

The Dene - To the Navajo, the Dene, the bark of the aspen root is much esteemed as an astringent

The Penobscot and Malecite - Steep the bark to drink for coughs. Known as a "sweating out" medicine.

The Montagnais - Scrape and dry the bark and keep it until needed. Given to children suffering from worms.

Ojibwe/Chippewa - Use the inner bark ceremonially and prepare medicine with it. The bark was chewed and then applied thickly like a poultice to wounds. Dried root is used in the same manner. Aspen bark was mixed with that of the bur and red oak and snakeroot for heart trouble. For women threatening abortion and to prevent premature birth, one root of the aspen and one of the balsam poplar were put in a quart of water and steeped, not boiled. This was drunk about every hour.