[Wikipedia] Native American Medicinal and Art Usages: Native Americans Traditional medicine Native Americans in the Western United States and Mexico used parts of Frémont's cottonwood variously for a medicine, in basket weaving, for tool making, and for musical instruments. The inner bark of Frémont's cottonwood contains vitamin C and was chewed as an antiscorbutic - treatment for vitamin C deficiency. The bark and leaves could be used to make poultices to reduce inflammation or to treat wounds. Art The Pima people of southern Arizona and northern Mexico lived along Sonoran Desert watercourses and used twigs from the tree in the fine and intricate baskets they wove. The Cahuilla people of southern California used the tree's wood for tool making, the Pueblo peoples for drums, and the Lower Colorado River Quechan people in ritual cremations.The Hopi of Northeastern Arizona carve the root of the cottonwood to create kachina dolls (contributed by Mary Ann Machi)