Ciquq
Populus balsamifera L.
Populus trichocarpa Torr. & A. Gray
Plant
Cottonwood is a very large, soft-wooded, deciduous tree that may reach one hundred feet tall. Its heartwood, which becomes hollow with age, is covered by thick, deeply grooved, grayish brown bark. Other distinguishing features are large winter buds covered with an aromatic resin and large, heart-shaped leaves that turn yellow in the fall. Its flowering catkins produce many tiny seeds with numerous cotton-like hairs.
Medicine: People added ash from cottonwood bark ash to snuff (iqmik) and used to treat tooth aches. Some people use cottonwood bark to drain the ears.
Fuel: Cottonwood is preferred for smoking fish because it produces a slow burning, smoky fire that imparts a good flavor. It is not normally used to heat homes but may be used as tinder.
Material: Cottonwood was used to make fish drying poles. Cottonwood bark was carved into toys, gaming pieces, plates, net floats, labrets, animal figurines, and maskettes. An old cottonwood log on the beach be used as a cooking container for cooking gull eggs, meat, and fish. Hot rocks were dropped into the cooking water to heat it.
