Willow is a genus of woody plants with a luxurious spreading crown and characteristic grayish bark; it belongs to the willow family. The foliage of many species is curly and dense, while in some it is very sparse. The leaves, located on reddish and flexible branches, are petiolate. Depending on the type of tree, the leaf blade with finely toothed edges can have a wide, narrow linear or elliptical shape.
Flowers of different sexes are very small, almost invisible. Collected in dense inflorescences - earrings, especially noticeable before the leaves bloom. The box-shaped fruit is enclosed between 2 valves, which are subsequently opened. The seed is small and light and is freely carried by the wind over long distances.
Willow - types and places of growth
The world flora includes about 300 species of willow, distributed mainly in temperate countries of the Northern Hemisphere. Willow is a companion of damp places, but one of the varieties, goat willow, readily settles on sandy loam soils. This species is more widespread than others; it lives throughout Eurasia, preferring coniferous-deciduous forests.
Other common forms include:
- white willow (willow) - grows in floodplains throughout the Russian Federation;
- brittle willow - infests alder forests, plantings along roads, dams and dams;
- holly willow - stretches in stripes from the Far North to the Caucasus;
— three-stamen willow is a shrub species growing along the banks of many Russian rivers;
- basket willow - grows in riverbed floodplains, has very flexible shoots, so it is often used in basket weaving.
Willow is the inhabitant of the most various places and conditions, which indicates the high ecological plasticity of the genus. Decorative types planted as a wonderful addition to the urban landscape.
Willow - medicinal properties
Since time immemorial, the valuable shrub has been attributed magical properties. White willow bark has antipyretic (due to the content of acetylsalicylic acid), astringent, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, anthelmintic and diuretic effects. Tea made from fresh leaves relieves fatigue; using a willow broom in a bathhouse treats osteochondrosis and gout. The quinine it contains is a powerful anti-malaria agent.
Positive results have been achieved in the treatment gastrointestinal diseases, diarrhea. Willow is also used externally: for rinsing the mouth, throat, douching, for varicose veins, sweating feet, and skin diseases. The plant is used as a sedative, anti-fever and wound-healing agent, and a weak decoction of the bark treats weakened and brittle hair, saturating it with all the necessary substances.
Willow - dosage forms
The medicinal raw material is the bark of young trees, which is carefully collected in April before the first leaves bloom. It is in this month that it easily peels off from the wood. Dry under a canopy with good ventilation.
Less often in medicinal purposes They use earrings, which are collected during flowering and dried in a shady place. The resulting dry extract is stored for 4 years, preferably in paper and cardboard containers.
Willow - traditional medicine recipes
Varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, muscle fatigue: 120 g. Not too crushed willow roots are poured with 5 liters of water, the mixture is boiled and cooked over very low heat for 10-15 minutes. Then cool to a tolerable temperature and lower the legs into the broth until they cool. The decoction can be used up to three times with preheating. The number of procedures is until the condition improves (usually from 5 to 8 baths).
Tincture for tachycardia: 100-150 g. pour fresh or dry men's earrings with a bottle (500 ml) of vodka, put in a dark place for 21-30 days, then strain everything and drink 35 drops of tincture. three times a day for 10-15 days. After a month you can repeat the course.
Diarrhea, uterine and gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers, exacerbation of gastritis, gargling: we use white willow. Pour a handful of crushed roots into 250 ml of water, boil over low heat for 30 minutes, then squeeze everything out and bring the volume back to the original volume. Drink the decoction before meals (3 times a day) at the table. spoon.
You can brew a drink from fresh leaves by scalding them with boiling water. Juice or gruel is an excellent remedy against furunculosis, eczema, acne and other skin problems. It is advisable to apply or tie whole leaves to painful places, calluses and corns.
Willow - contraindications
— age up to 16 years;
— pregnancy 2, 3 trimesters;
— presence of viral infections (flu, ARVI);
- individual intolerance.
The simultaneous use of willow-based drugs with other salicylates (aspirin), cough and cold remedies is not allowed.
Willow has long been an object of economic influence.
As a result of long selection best forms of this breed for cultivation, and also thanks to hybridization, varieties of willows have been obtained that are not found in the wild. Therefore, in describing the main species and varieties of willows, we divide them into wild and cultivated.
The genus of willow - Salix L. contains up to 200 species (in “Flora of the USSR”, vol. V, 1936, 167 species are described). The taxonomy of willows presents significant difficulties. In addition, not all of their types are equally valuable for the national economy. Therefore there is no need to present here botanical description all types of willows; we limit ourselves to describing only those of them that are most widespread, form large thickets or have long been used as technical or medicinal plants, for producing twigs in basket production, for reclamation purposes - consolidation and afforestation of loose sand, river banks, dams, etc., and also for landscaping cities and towns and as melliferous plants.
Goat willow, delirium- Salix caprea L. A medium-sized tree, 6-10 m high and up to 75 cm in diameter; less often - a tree-like shrub. The bark, which is smooth and greenish-gray in color when young, acquires deep longitudinal cracks with age, especially in the lower part of the trunk. The exposed wood is smooth, without ridges, and turns red in the air. Young branches are grey-pubescent and darken with age. The buds are very large, bare, brown, 5 mm long, 3 mm wide. Stipules are lobed and fall off early. The leaves are highly variable in size and shape from ovate to lanceolate, 11-18 cm long and 5-8 cm wide, glabrous on top, wrinkled, dark green; the bottom is grey-felt. There are from six to nine lateral veins; they form wide rounded loops at the edges. The network of veins protrudes sharply. The main and lateral veins are mostly densely hairy. Young leaves with dense silky pubescence. Goat willow blooms before the leaves bloom, in April - May; her earrings are large and numerous; the axes of the earrings are fluffy.
In the forest zone, goat willow is almost always part of spruce-broad-leaved forests, in the types of sorrel spruce forests, complex spruce forests, stream spruce forests, and less often - blueberry spruce forests; in the forest-steppe zone it is usually found in deciduous forests. With the exception of the tundra, forest-tundra and alpine mountain belt, it is distributed throughout Europe.
Goat willow is used in a very versatile way. Its bark contains on average 16.5% tannins (in some specimens even 21%) - almost the same as the bark of the Australian acacia. Black paint is made from goat willow bark. Its rods are not suitable for weaving, but the wood is used in cold buildings, as well as for making arches and hoops, and can be used in the production of cellulose.
Goat willow is one of the earliest spring honey plants and pergonoses.
The high tannidity of the bark and the suitability of the wood for processing into pulp, buildings and small products make goat willow an extremely valuable and promising technical species.
Opportunity integrated use and the ability of the goat willow to renew itself well by shoots from the stump make it quite possible to organize specialized farms for this species, with the selection of high-tannid forms for the crop.
Cuttings of goat willow do not take root, and it must be propagated by seeds. However, its cuttings are easily grafted onto other types of willows that take root by cuttings.
This willow is decorative. Therefore, it can often be seen in single plantings.
Willow blackening- Salix nigricans S m. A shrub, less often a tree, 0.5-8 m high. Young branches are reddish, grey-tomentose, adult branches are from brownish-green to dark brown. The buds are long, curved at the top, and densely hairy. Wood on the surface without beads. Stipules are semi-ovate, toothed. The leaves are elliptical or lanceolate, widest near the middle, serrate along the edge, and often folded at the top, dark green above, pale or glaucous below, turning black when dried; the tip of the leaf is bright green. It blooms simultaneously with the leaves blooming. There are two stamens, one nectary, posterior, also one style, bipartite stigma.
Distributed throughout the European part of the USSR, except for the Black Sea region; not found in Western and Eastern Siberia, as well as in Western Europe. It grows scatteredly in forests - among bushes, along forest edges, and also in damp meadows.
Blackening willow bark contains from 6 to 16% tannins with a good quality of 50%; harvested together with other high-tannin species. High-tannidin varieties of blackening willow can be introduced into cultivation.
Ash willow, gray- Salix cinerea L. Shrub up to 5 m high with thick branches; one- and two-year-old shoots are densely covered with gray or dark, sometimes almost black, velvety felt. After removing the bark, the wood has ridges up to 1.5 cm long. The buds are distant, flattened, obtuse, brown, gray pubescent. Stipules are reniform, toothed. The leaves are obovate, short and almost awl-pointed, 4-12 cm long and 1-4 cm wide, dirty green above, depressed along the veins, grey-green below, with protruding veins, short-tomentose on both sides, finely serrated, with edges turned inward when blooming. It blooms before the leaves bloom or almost simultaneously with it, thus representing an early honey plant and pergonum plant.
Ash willow is very widespread in swampy places and grassy swamps, on the banks of drainage ditches, in damp mixed forests and in flood meadows. It forms extensive thickets, but more often grows in clumps and individual bushes.
The bark contains 12-14% tannins and therefore serves as the main raw material for preparing tanning willow bark. The twigs are used for sticks, coarse weaving (mostly from green twigs), fuel and fascinator.
Winter stem cuttings of this willow almost do not take root, but it is propagated well by seeds. It can also be propagated by grafting onto cuttings of easily grafted species. It is quite suitable for planting near ponds and in damp places, as well as for lining ditches. On the basis of natural thickets in one place, for example in a wide floodplain of a river, it is possible to organize a specialized bark farm.
Eared willow- Salix aurita L. Young branches of eared willow are fluffy, one-year-old ones are bare, reddish-brown, old ones are dark gray and ashen. The buds are small, ovoid, glabrous. After removing the bark, the wood is made with rollers. There are always crescent-shaped toothed stipules that persist until autumn; hence the name of this willow “eared”. Leaves are 0.8-4 cm long, 0.5-3 cm wide (their greatest width is usually in the upper part of the trunk, slightly above its middle), oblong-obovate, usually with a folded tip and wedge-shaped base, coarsely or finely toothed , wrinkled above, dull green, below with thick grayish fluff and a dense network of strongly protruding veins. It blooms before the leaves bloom or almost simultaneously with it. It grows in grass swamps in deciduous and mixed forests, almost everywhere in the European part of the USSR, with the exception of the Volga region, Crimea and Ciscaucasia, as well as in Western Europe, except for the Mediterranean.
The bark contains 11-15% tannins. Eared willow can be recommended for planting in damp and swampy places and along the banks of drainage ditches. Early honey plant and pergonos.
Willow bluish-gray- Salix livida Whlb. Shrub about 1 m high, with thin brownish-brown branches. Bare wood - no beads. The leaves in spring are reddish, thin, from obovate to broadly or narrowly elliptical, evenly pointed at both ends, green above, bluish below. There are two stamens, one nectary, posterior.
It grows throughout the USSR - in dry meadows, slopes and mixed forests.
Willow twig, hemp- Salix viminalis L. Shrub 5-6 high, up to 10 m. Young shoots are grayish pubescent or almost glabrous, adults are glabrous. Bare wood - no beads. Stipules are narrow-lanceolate, long-pointed, rapidly falling. The leaves are narrow, linear-lanceolate, 15-20 long and 0.3-2-4 cm wide (the widest below the middle), sharp, with an inward-turned edge, whole-edged, usually dark green above, densely covered with silky hairs below and therefore satiny - or silvery-shiny. It blooms before the leaves bloom or simultaneously with it.
Distributed almost throughout the USSR, with the exception of Crimea and deserts Central Asia. It grows exclusively on river banks and on periodically flooded islands, where it forms vast dense thickets.
Stem cuttings root easily. One-year-old twig High Quality, so it has long been widely used for wickerwork. From the wide variety of forms of this species, many valuable ones have been selected, which are widespread in culture and in green construction, where they are valued for the decorative appearance of their silvery leaves. Can be bred throughout the forest zone. The bark, containing 6-14 tannins, is also used for fiber.
Due to its heterogeneity over the vast area of its range, this species is already divided into several independent species. The most studied of them are the following:
A) True twig willow, basket willow- Salix vertviminalis Nas. Adult leaves of this species are narrow and long, 10-18 times longer than wide, usually linear-lanceolate, gradually tapering from the middle to the apex, elongated to a long end, wedge-shaped at the base, dark green above, completely shiny below, satiny-hairy. This species is common in Western Europe; in the European part of the USSR it is replaced by Russian willow.
V) Russian willow- Salix rossica Nas. Mature leaves are lanceolate, long, 7-10 times longer than wide, widest above the middle, covered below with thick, pressed, needle-shiny hairs. It grows in the European part of our country, in Western and Eastern Siberia and the Far East.
V) Iva Schwerina- Salix Schwerini E. Wolf. This species, like Russian willow, is very close to the Western European form - basket willow. His homeland is the Far East. It is distinguished by particularly fast growth and is easily propagated by cuttings. Its narrow, long, silvery-white foliage underneath makes it very decorative. Wood and rod are brittle, so they are valuable only as fuel.
Woolly willow- Salix dasyclados Wimm. Tall shrub, less often a tree 6-8 m high, with brown bark. Bare wood - no beads. Young shoots are densely pubescent, old shoots are bare. The stipules are very large. The leaves are lanceolate, 8-12 cm long, 2-3.5 cm wide, shortly pointed, dark green above, glabrous, grayish-satin or silky below. Blooms before the leaves bloom. Distributed almost throughout the USSR, especially in Western and Eastern Siberia. Grows along the banks of rivers and lakes. One of the fastest growing willows. It is used in the same way as twig or basket willow. Easily propagated by stem cuttings.
Willow Sakhalin- Salix sachalinensis F. Schmldt. Tree up to 30 m high and 20-25 cm in diameter; lives up to 50 years. The bark is smooth, yellowish-brown. The kidneys are pressed. Stipules are small and sharp. The leaves are lanceolate, narrowed towards the base, obtuse or pointed at the apex, 5-10 cm long, 0.5-3 cm wide, almost uniform in color and bare on both sides, dull green. It blooms simultaneously with the leaves blooming.
Distributed in the Far East, as well as in Japan and the Kuril Islands. It grows in river valleys, on damp slopes, and on forest edges in a mixture with other species. Fast growing species. Widely used for small buildings. Bast fiber is used to make ropes.
Purple willow, yellowberry- Salix purpurea L. Shrub 2-4 m high, with graceful thin branches. The bark is lemon-yellow on the inside, dark purple on the outside, sometimes with a bluish coating. The buds are small, appressed, red-brown, bare. Stipules are rare. The leaves are alternate, often almost opposite, 3-13 cm long, 0.8-1.5 cm wide, widest above the middle, entire, oblanceolate, soft bluish-gray, turning black after drying, very bitter in taste. It blooms before the leaves bloom or almost simultaneously with it.
It is confined to the more southern part of the USSR: to the north it reaches Mogilev, the south of the Moscow region, to the east - to the Volga. Found in Crimea, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. In the Volga region and Western Siberia This type of willow does not exist.
It produces an excellent flexible rod that easily splits lengthwise and is therefore used for the finest weaving. It is easily propagated by cuttings, so it is often bred on plantations. The bark contains 2-7% tannins and is not of interest in this regard, but it contains salicin (0.6-1.5%) more than other types of willows. Can be bred throughout the forest zone. However, in the north of the forest zone its shoots are damaged by frost; Therefore, the culture of this species with annual autumn cutting of one-year-old twig is desirable here.
Willow thin-leaved. A shrub with thin flexible branches of olive-brick color, shiny, bare, like the buds. The leaves are linear, 3.5-7 cm long, 4-6 mm wide, pointed, evenly serrated along the edges, completely glabrous, slightly green above, bluish-green below, usually turning black after drying. It blooms simultaneously with the leaves blooming.
Grows in Eastern and Southern Siberia, in the Far East, Mongolia and Manchuria.
Gives a wonderful basket rod; suitable for strengthening banks. Due to the easy rooting of cuttings, several forms of this species selected in nature are now widely introduced into culture.
Caspian willow- Salix caspica Pall. A shrub 2-3 m high, similar to purple willow, from which it differs in narrower, alternate leaves. The leaves are linear-lanceolate or linear, narrowed at both ends, entire, glabrous, hard, dull above, glaucous below. It blooms almost simultaneously with the leaves blooming.
It grows in the territory from the southern Volga region to the Yenisei, in the desert and steppe zones, along the banks of rivers and lakes, as well as on sand. In the Volga region it is distributed up to the river. Samara. Gives a good flexible rod; used for weaving and also for strengthening sands. Very photophilous. Propagated by cuttings.
Several forms of this species have been introduced into culture.
Wolf willow, pussy willow, yellow shelyuga- Salix daphnoides Vill. A tree 15 m high and up to 20 cm in diameter, with thick branches, silky white in youth, light green, olive-brown and tempo-chestnut (but not red) in later life, covered with a bluish bloom. The bark is bitter. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, 7-10 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide, narrowed at the base, short-pointed at the apex, widest in the middle, glandular-serrate, pure green. Stipules are ovate, early falling, short, glandular-serrate. Blooms before the leaves bloom.
The homeland of willow wolfberry is the mountains Central Europe, from where, due to the ease of its propagation by cuttings, it has spread widely beyond its range.
Good and early honey plant and pergonum. The bark is high in salicin but low in tannins. The rod is rarely used for basket weaving. Due to its rapid growth, unpretentiousness to soils (grows well on sand), ease of propagation by cuttings or even individual rods, it has long been a favorite object for decorative and protective plantings in the forest zone, especially for fixing moving sands.
Holly willow, red willow, red willow- Salix acutifolia Willd. The tree is 10-12 m high. It differs from the yellow shell by its thinner, twig-like branches of a red-brown, sometimes bright red color. The leaves are lanceolate, long-pointed, wedge-shaped at the base, 6-15 cm long, 0.7-1.2 cm wide, glandular-serrate, glabrous, shiny above, and bluish or greenish below. It blooms long before the leaves appear.
Distributed throughout almost the entire European part of the USSR, the North Caucasus, Western and Eastern Siberia and Central Asia. Finds even greater use in all cases listed for S. daphnoides Vill. For weaving and outing, not only branches, but also lint, reaching a length of 10-15 m. Frost-resistant and heat-resistant. A classic object for anchorage plantings on loose sand. Widely used for landscaping.
dewy willow Salix rorida Laksch. Tree 8-15 m high and 1-2 m in diameter. The bark has deep longitudinal cracks and falls off in sheets. It differs from the willow and holly willow by well-developed oblique or kidney-shaped stipules with glandular-toothed edges. It is used in the same way as shell.
Distributed in Western and Eastern Siberia and the Far East (middle and southern parts).
Three-stamen willow, belotal, almond- Salix triandra L. Shrub 5 m high, up to 7 cm in diameter, with elongated bare flexible branches of olive - or brownish - and yellowish-green color. The bark on old branches peels off in thin sheets. The leaves mostly have kidney-shaped, ovate, toothed, well-defined and long-lasting stipules. The leaves are lanceolate, pointed, serrate, glabrous, 14-15 cm long, 0.5-3.5 cm wide. Based on the color of the leaves, forms are distinguished with leaves that are dark green above and green below and dark green above, but glaucous and whitish-gray below. Blooms after the leaves bloom. There are three stamens (as an exception - two, four, five), up to 5 mm long, free. Nectaries in both male and female female flowers usually two.
It grows in the USSR almost everywhere, with the exception of the high mountain zone, the Arctic and Kamchatka. It forms thickets along the banks of rivers and lakes, mainly in the floodplain. Honey plant. The bark is rich in salicin (4-5%), tannins (10-12%, with a good quality of 50%). A decoction of bark and young branches is used to dye fabrics and nets in yellow. The rod, especially one-year-old, has high technical qualities and is widely used for weaving. On the basis of wild, pure thickets of this willow, specialized farms have been organized for the willow over large areas (along Lake Ilmen and in the floodplain of the middle Volga and Kama) with an annual cutting turnover. It is easily rooted by cuttings, and therefore many varieties and forms, bred artificially and selected from nature, are cultivated.
White willow, willow- Salix alba L. Tree 20-30 m high and up to 3 m in diameter; lives up to 100 years or more. The bark is dark brown, with deep cracks. Young branches are silvery-fluffy at the ends. Petioles - with glands at the top. The leaves are typically lanceolate, linear-lanceolate, pointed, often finely serrate along the edges, silvery-silky on both sides. It blooms simultaneously with the leaves blooming. Male flowers are lemon yellow, have two stamens (free), hairy below, the anthers are bright yellow. In male flowers there are two nectaries - anterior and posterior, in female flowers - one posterior, less often - two. The ovary is sessile or on a short stalk, mostly glabrous.
Distributed throughout almost the entire USSR, with the exception of the Far North. In the wild it grows along the banks of rivers, streams, and in floodplains. In places poor in forests, there is a large economic importance, especially due to the rapidity of growth. A good honey plant. The bark contains salicin (4-3%), but there are few tannins in it (up to 5%). A decoction of the bark is used to dye sawdust, wool and huskies, to which it gives a reddish-brown color. Ropes and ropes are made from bast fibers. The wood is used for cold buildings and especially for the manufacture of arches, hoops, troughs and other small products. For their decorative and other beneficial features is bred very widely. Sensitive to frost, severely damaged by insects. Recommended for single plantings, planting reservoirs and for new farms without tops throughout the USSR, except the Far North. Has a number of varieties.
Willow southern- Salix australior Anders. Tall, heavily branched tree. The branches are orange-red; young ones are pubescent, old ones are naked. The leaves are broadly or narrowly lanceolate, large, 5-8 cm long. Long pointed, large serrated. It blooms simultaneously with the leaves blooming. Two stamens, two nectaries.
Distributed in western and eastern Transcaucasia, Central Asia, where it is widely cultivated.
Willow brittle- Salix frugulis L. Tree 15-20 m high, up to 1 m in diameter; lives up to 75 years. The crown is wide, the bark has deep cracks, the branches are straight apart, slightly drooping, bare, shiny, slightly reddish or olive-greenish. The leaves are narrowly ovate-lanceolate, gradually elongated to a point, 5-7.5 in length, 1-2 cm wide, glabrous, glandular-serrate at the edges. It blooms simultaneously with the leaves blooming - in May, and bears fruit in June.
It is difficult to establish the range of brittle willow, since due to the good rooting of cuttings, it has long been widely introduced into culture. Distributed almost throughout the USSR, with the exception of the Arctic strip.
Honey plant. The bark contains salicin as well as tannins (about 10%). The wood is used for arches, shafts, troughs and other products, as well as for buildings. Suitable for topless farming. Can be recommended for lining the banks of rivers, canals, dams, streets, houses, etc. everywhere except the Far North.
Babylonian willow, weeping- Salix babylonica L. A medium-sized tree, 10-12 m high. 15-20 cm in diameter, with a picturesque translucent crown of long, thin, flexible branches hanging to the ground, reddish or yellowish-green, bare, shiny. The leaves are oblong or narrowly lanceolate, elongated towards the apex into a long, oblique point, gradually narrowed towards the base, finely glandular-serrate at the edges, dark above, bluish-green below, young ones - slightly pubescent, adults - glabrous. The stipules are obliquely lanceolate and ovate, serrated or awl-shaped, and in this case they are transformed into a spine. The petiole is about 1 cm, often glandular and always hairy. There are two free stamens. There are one nectaries in female flowers and two in male flowers.
The exact homeland is unknown, since for their decorative properties and the ease of propagation by cuttings is propagated everywhere. Babylonian willow has been introduced into culture in all countries of the world. North of Moscow it is freezing. Honey plant. Can be recommended for decorative plantings and for lining roads and reservoirs.
Many varieties and hybrids are bred in culture. The most decorative of them: var. annularis Asch. with leaves bent ring-shaped or spirally.
Willow five-stamen, chernotal- Salix peniandra L. Tree up to 16 m high, 15 cm in diameter, lives up to 80 years. The bark is dark gray or dark brown, cracked, shiny. The buds are ovoid, curved at the top, dihedral, brown, shiny; stipules glandular-toothed, falling off early. Petioles 0.2-1.4 cm long with many large glands, glabrous, often colored. The leaves are dense, leathery, dark green above, shiny, lighter below, 5-13 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, widest near the middle. It blooms in May-June, almost simultaneously with the leaves blooming. Stamens two - five - seven. Women's earrings are dangling, on rather long bare legs. It bears fruit in August-October, and open capsules, along with the entire fruit catkin, are often stored on the tree in winter.
Late ripening of seeds in autumn is characteristic only of this willow, and this feature is an important diagnostic sign.
Grows in peat and grass bogs, wet meadows, swampy valleys, damp forests. Distributed in the forest-tundra, forest and steppe zones, in the mountains it reaches almost to the forest limit. It is found throughout Europe, northern and western Asia, Mongolia, Japan and China.
Late honey plant. There are few tannins in the bark (7-8%), which, given its low quality (25-35%), makes harvesting its bark unprofitable. The rod is suitable for coarse weaving and fascination. Can be recommended for lining streets, dams; Suitable for topless farming. It is frost-resistant. Along with the ease of propagation by cuttings, it also propagates well by seeds, and the seeds remain viable under the snow until spring and produce abundant shoots in the spring.
The willow tree has about 550 species. The average lifespan of wood is 110 years. Other names for this tree: willow, broom, vine, willow and others.
Family: Willow
Class: Dicotyledons
Order: Malpighiaceae
Department: Flowers
Kingdom: Plants
Domain: Eukaryotes
Willow description:
Willow is most often found up to 15 meters in size. But the species number of this tree is very huge, and on our planet you can find willow trees up to 40 meters in height and 2.5 cm in size. Willows include both trees and shrubs. The crown of the tree is wide and large. The stem is branched, the branches are thin and flexible. The leaves are long and narrow in shape, but there are also species with wide leaves. On the outside the leaf has a more saturated green color, and on the other side the leaf is lighter. In some species the leaf edge is smooth, in others it is jagged. When the leaves bloom, there are stipules that can be used to determine the type of willow.
When does willow bloom?
Different types of willows bloom at different times. Some species bloom even before the first leaves appear in early spring, some species bloom with the appearance of leaves or already in early summer when the leaves are fully formed.
The flowers of the tree are very small and would be difficult to detect if they were not collected in inflorescences called catkins. In willows that bloom before the leaves appear, the catkins are very noticeable. All willow catkins are unisexual, that is, they contain only female flowers or only male flowers. It is not difficult to distinguish them. Male flowers contain two stamens, and female flowers have one pistil; both types of flowers have nectaries.
Where does willow grow?
The willow tree is most common in the northern hemisphere of the planet. At the same time, the willow reaches the northernmost regions. In the northern regions you can find willow no larger than moss. Loves moisture very much. Most often found in humid areas. Less common in dry areas. Due to their large and extensive root system, willows are often planted along banks to strengthen the soil.
Willow fruit
The fruit of the willow is a capsule. The willow seed itself is very small, light, covered with white fluff. Its lightness allows it to fly quite long distances. The seed itself remains viable for only a few days. But if it gets into water, it can remain viable for up to several years.
Willow propagation
Willow produces adventitious roots. Thanks to this, this tree reproduces well by cuttings and stakes. In most species, seeds can lose their viability within a few days.
In nature, willow trees reproduce using seeds, and cultivated species of willows are propagated by cuttings and layering. A willow branch planted in the ground quickly takes root.
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In Russia, many other names are used to refer to the willow plant. For example, it is often called willow, willow, willow or vine. When describing the willow tree, it is definitely worth noting that this plant is one of the oldest on our planet - imprints of its leaves are found even on deposits of the Cretaceous period. The willow tree looks especially beautiful as an indispensable attribute for decorating ponds.
What a willow tree looks like: photo and description
Tree willow (Salix) belongs to the Willow family, its homeland is Eurasia, North America, Siberia, Central Asia. This is one of the most common tree and shrub species in the temperate and cold zones of the globe; only a few of its species are found in subtropical and tropical areas. As evidenced by paleontological data, willow appeared on earth in very distant geological eras. In various countries of Europe, Asia and America, its remains were found in the Lower Cretaceous deposits of the Mesozoic era; in the Tertiary period, willow was already widespread. A description of fossil willows found in Upper Cretaceous deposits showed that over many millennia this plant simplified its internal organization, acquired greater plasticity and extremely diverse external forms, which determine its species diversity.
As you can see in the photo of the willow, all plants can be divided into two large type- shrubs and trees:
Shrubs, which are the majority, grow everywhere: along the banks of rivers and lakes, along highways and railways, in swamps and along dry river beds. They are the first to “populate” forest clearings and fires, covering the blackened earth like a fur coat. Willows also grow on mountain slopes, even at an altitude of 3 thousand meters above sea level. Bush willow branches are the main material for weaving. As follows from the description of the willow, this plant is one of the fastest growing: annual shoots sometimes reach a height of 3 m. Tree-like willows sometimes grow into beautiful, powerful trees. For example, in the village of Nikolskoye Smolensk region a silver willow grows, the trunk of which exceeds 5 m in girth, and its age, according to biologists, is more than 120 years. This is a record tree among its relatives in the Non-Black Earth zone of Russia.
Willow is a deciduous shrub or small tree with a beautiful rounded shape and lanceolate or broadly oval leaves 10-12 cm long and 5-8 cm wide.
The leaves are dark green on the upper side and greenish-gray on the outside. reverse side. In autumn the leaves turn golden yellow.
Willow blooms in April, before the leaves form. Its male inflorescences - catkins - are large, 4 - 6 cm long, golden yellow in color. The plant is frost-resistant.
Types of willows: photos, names and descriptions
Willow has many species, their description can take dozens of pages. Not all of them are suitable for weaving, but most are still suitable for this craft. Let us briefly describe the latter. The recommended types and varieties of willows meet the basic requirements for one-year-old twigs used for the manufacture of wicker products.
Check out the photos, names and descriptions of the species that are most common in the middle zone.
Willow
One of the main types suitable for weaving. Tree 8–10 m high or tall branched shrub. The branches are straight, long, thin. Young shoots are short, grayish-pubescent or almost glabrous, adults are glabrous or very short-haired. The stipules are small, narrowly lanceolate or crescent-shaped, long-pointed, usually rapidly falling, mostly shorter than the petioles. The leaves are narrow or linear-lanceolate. Length 10–20 cm and width 1–2 cm. Wedge-shaped at the base, sharp at the apex, with a curved edge, whole-cut or slightly wavy-notched. From dark green above, almost glabrous or slightly pubescent to grayish-fluffy with glands at the edge, below densely covered with silky hairs. Blooms from March to May.
Look at the photo - this type of willow has catkins that develop before the leaves or at the same time, long, cylindrical, without leaves at the base or with them:
Grows in the European part of Russia, except for the extreme northern and southern regions, in Western Siberia, except for the Far North, in Altai. It grows along the banks of rivers along living riverbeds, in old parts of the floodplain, along the banks of oxbow lakes. It almost does not grow along the marshy banks of reservoirs. Can grow in periodically waterlogged areas. Photophilous. Stem cuttings root easily. It grows quickly and has good growth capacity. Resistant to spring frosts.
Willow wood is light, sometimes with a pinkish or reddish tint, soft, light. It dries well, but often warps, elastic, easy to process, but not resistant to wormholes and rotting. The annual twig is the same in flexibility as the three-stamen willow, but somewhat inferior in softness. Cleanability from bark is good. The splitting of the rod is satisfactory. The core occupies up to 1/3 of the diameter of a one-year-old twig. The twig willow grows along the banks of rivers over a vast area from forest-tundra to semi-desert, forming wide thickets. Cultivated in forest and forest-steppe zones on slightly podzolic loams, sandstones, and degraded chernozems. It grows quickly, pricks and planes well. This is a classic basket willow.
Willow Astrakhan and willow Kharkov
Artificially selected varieties of willow, distinguished by larger but smaller annual twigs. The twig of this type of willow is very well cleared of bark. More flexible than twig willow and easier to split. Both varieties are more productive than the rod-shaped ones. Can be used on tape and furniture stick.
Hemp willow
One of the classic types of willow suitable for weaving. A shrub up to 8 m high, most often grows near rivers, on floodplains and in other wet places. The shoots are green with a brown or yellow tint. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, 7–15 cm long, with short petioles and edges curled at the bottom, dark green above, grayish-silver below. The rod is long, thick, with a blunt end, the core is quite large. A one-year-old rod is used for weaving, and two- and three-year-old rods are used for sticks.
Red-flowered willow (krasnotal, willow, sandy)
Great for weaving. Shrub, less commonly tree. The bark is shiny, red with dark and brown tints. The buds are red, closely adjacent to the stem. The leaves are spatulate-lanceolate, with short petioles, small serrations along the edge in the upper part of the leaf. The leaves are dark green above, bluish below, matte, with a convex midrib. The rods are long, flexible, thin, without branches, with a very small core. The bark comes off easily. Used for the manufacture of various small products: baskets, boxes, etc.
Purple willow
A very popular type among lovers of wickerwork. Dense branched shrub from 2 to 5 m high. Life expectancy is up to 30 years. The bark is purple-red, sometimes with a bluish coating, yellow-green underneath, and lemon-yellow on the inside. The shoots are thin, flexible, with sparse leaves. The buds are small (length 3–5 mm), red-brown or yellowish in color, pressed to the shoot, often have an opposite (to the top of the shoot) arrangement along with a spiral-alternate arrangement, stipules are usually absent. Accordingly, the leaves of the purple willow are alternate and opposite, from 3 to 13 cm long and from 0.8 to 1.5 cm wide, oblanceolate, mostly pointed, subulate at the top; only the blossoming ones (young ones) have a red, easily erasable felt; the later ones are smooth, dark green on top and bluish-green below. The inflorescence earrings bloom earlier or almost simultaneously with the leaves. Willow is easily propagated by winter stem cuttings.
This species of willow is distributed in the middle and southern zone approximately along the line: Pskov, Velikiye Luki, the south of the Moscow region, along the Oka to Sasov, the cities of Samara and Chkalov, along the Urals to Magnitogorsk, Semipalatinsk, Balkhash. It also grows in the mountains of Crimea, Moldova, Western Ukraine and the Baltic states. Grows throughout Western Europe, northern Africa, Asia Minor, Iran, Mongolia, Japan, North America. In the forest zone, purple willow can be cultivated everywhere; only in its northern part can it die from frost, but when the twig is cut annually, the frost does virtually no harm. Purple willow is light-loving and does not tolerate closeness. groundwater and inundation by flood waters.
The one-year-old twig is low-twined, more flexible than that of willow tristamen, and of high quality. It cleans very well from bark. The splitting properties of the rod are average. This type of willow is valuable because it has almost no branches.
Willow buzulukskaya
Willow Ural
One of the low-growing forms of purple willow. A low shrub with graceful shoots, it differs from purple willow mainly in its thinner shoots and smaller leaves. Grows well in moist, rich sandy loam soils. In terms of productivity, it is somewhat inferior to purple, but is valuable because it is suitable for fine weaving. The one-year-old twig is somewhat longer and thinner, but more tapering than that of the Buzuluk willow.
Goat willow
Universal look. Tree 6–10 m high or low shrub. The bark is smooth, greenish-gray, often cracked at the bottom of the trunk.
Pay attention to the photo - this willow tree has thick, spreading, gray-pubescent branches when young, later brown, gray or dark, knotty:
The stipules are reniform, 4–7 mm long, serrate and lobed, falling off early. Petioles up to 2 cm long, greatly expanded towards the base. The leaves are oblong-oval, toothed, with a shiny dark green upper side and gray fluffy underside. It blooms long before the leaves bloom. It grows very quickly, reaching a height of up to 6 m during the growing season. Mainly annual shoots are used, which are split into ribbons for weaving.
Outside our country, this type of willow tree grows throughout Europe (with the exception of the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula and the islands of Italy), in Asia Minor, Iran, Manchuria, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. It lives on moist and fresh, non-boggy soils, on forest edges, along roads, ditches and slopes. Being relatively shade-tolerant, it grows in mixed forest plantations in the form of undergrowth and second tier. In the steppe zone it lives in river valleys and ravines, but rarely descends onto flooded areas of the floodplain. A hybrid of goat willow and twig willow - pointed willow - is widely known in cultures. This is a large shrub 4–5 m high with long narrow lanceolate leaves and strong bare shoots. The wood is of excellent quality, suitable for rods, small and large hoops.
Willow tristamen
Also a classic willow look. A shrub 6–7 m high or a tree 7–10 m high with a trunk diameter of 7 to 20 cm. In old trunks and shoots, the bark is separated by thin plates, like patches, hence the local name for willow in the Volga region - patchwork. The shoots are yellowish-green, thin, flexible. The leaves are lanceolate or elliptical glandular-serrate, dark green matte above, green or glaucous below, 4–15 cm long. Stipules are ovate. It blooms in April - May after the leaves bloom.
The bark is rich in tannins (tannins) - up to 17%, and also contains salicyl - 4-5%. Willow vine is of high quality, flexible and durable, suitable for all kinds of weaving, easy to split and plan. The wood is white with a grayish-green tint, light, soft, dries well, and is easy to process and finish. One-year-old rod is flexible and soft, easily split and planed. Cleanability from bark is good. A two- to four-year-old rod is used for a furniture stick.
It grows in the European part of Russia, except for the north-west, in the Caucasus, in most of Siberia, and the Far East. It grows in floodplains, in coastal zones, on islands and young sediments, where it forms dense thickets together with Russian willow. Prefers lowland rivers, does not go far into the mountains. Tolerates some soil salinity in semi-desert river floodplains, but does not form large thickets there.
Willow five-stamen
Perfect for weaving. This species is also called laurel willow, blackthroat or broom. It grows in the European part of Russia and in Siberia in lowland swamps. In the mountains - in the Urals, in the Far East - it takes on the appearance of a bush. Reaches a height of 13 m. Grows in wet meadows and peat bogs. The bark is dark brown, later cracking. The shoots, buds and leaves seem to be covered in transparent varnish and shine in the sun.
The leaves resemble laurel leaves, oblong-oval, jagged at the edges, hard, with a shiny green upper side and dull pale lower side, with a convex midrib. There are glands on the petioles, teeth of leaves and stipules. Blooms after complete leafing.
The bark is removed from the twigs cut during the period of sap flow. After hydrothermal treatment, the rods easily split. Used for weaving furniture and small items.
American willow
The most widely cultivated willow in the Russian forest zone. It is a natural hybrid of purple willow and three-stamen willow, sharing many of their valuable qualities. American willow has two subspecies - Polish willow and giant willow. Distinctive feature is the downward curved end of the branch. It will not straighten out until the growing season ends, which comes closer to autumn. The leaves are narrow (up to 2 cm wide), long (up to 15 cm long), smooth.
Bark color in mid-autumn is purple-red varying degrees saturation, green at the bottom of the vine. American willow vine has high ornamental qualities.
Willow wavyleaf
This is a hybrid of three-stamen and twig willow. It grows as a bush reaching 5 m in height. Annual shoots are thin, flexible, red-brown in color. The leaves are lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, serrate along the edges. The leaf blade is slightly wavy. Young leaves are finely pubescent, adult leaves are glabrous or slightly pubescent. It bushes very well, is capable of producing annual twigs up to 2.5 m long, and shades the soil well, thereby facilitating the fight against weeds.
The one-year-old rod is characterized by low curvature and splits well. The flexibility of the rod is the same as that of willow tristamen. Cleanability from bark is good. Can be used for tape and stands.
Willow stipule
Hybrid of woolly shoot and twig willow. Shrub 4–6 m high. Annual shoots are quite thick, greenish: young shoots have gray dense pubescence; adults are naked, with slight pubescence in the upper part. The leaves are lab-sided, entire, with a curled edge, dark green above, grayish-pubescent below, matte. Petioles are short, pubescent. Stipules are large, sickle-shaped.
It bushes well and can produce a large annual twig. Suitable for planting along ravines and banks of reservoirs on chernozem and dark chestnut soils. The flexibility of the one-year-old twig is the same as that of the three-stamened willow, and its splitting ability is the same as that of the twig willow. The speed is average. It cleans well from bark. Can be used for tape.
Caspian willow
A slender shrub up to 5 m high. The bark is pale gray, the shoots are straight, long, bare, yellowish-white, sometimes covered with a waxy coating. Leaves are up to 10 cm long, hard, linear, somewhat widened at the top, glabrous, dull above, glaucous below, with entire edges or finely serrated at the top. The catkins bloom in May and at the same time as the leaves.
Caspian willow is widespread in the European part of our country: in the Lower Volga, Lower Don, in the Trans-Volga region (between the Volga and the Urals), in the North Caucasus, in Transcaucasia, in the southern part of Western and Eastern Siberia, in the northern regions of Central Asia.
It lives solitarily and in clumps along the banks of rivers and on unturfed hilly sands with condensation moisture. The rod is used for all kinds of weaving.
Russian willow
One of the least suitable species for weaving. Tree 6–10 m high or shrub up to 6 m high. The branches are long, young - pubescent, after a year - greenish-gray, bare. Leaves are narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate. Russian willow is widespread in the European part of our country, in Western and Eastern Siberia, and in the Far East. In the western regions and Western Europe it is replaced by twig willow. It grows mainly in floodplains of rivers, on islands and coastal shallows and sediments, where it reaches vigorous development and forms huge thickets.
Its twig is of low quality and brittle, so it is used mainly in its unbarked form.
Woolly willow
Another one of the least quality types. A shrub 4–6 m high, less often a tree up to 8 m high with strong thick branches. Young shoots are dirty-pubescent, annual shoots are large, bare, greenish-gray. Young leaves are elliptical, white-tomentose, adult leaves are lanceolate. It is found throughout the European part of Russia (except for the Caucasus, Crimea, the Black Sea region and the Lower Volga), in Siberia and the Far East. Inhabits river banks, oxbow lakes and lakes. It grows singly and in clumps, often together with Russian willow, and is a fast-growing species. Used on coarse weaving and also on sticks.
Holly willow
It is also called red shell. Not suitable for all types of products. A tree up to 10 m high or a shrub up to 6 m high. The shoots are long, thin, red-brown, and from the end of the first year are covered with a bluish waxy coating. The leaves are lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, long-pointed (6–8 times longer than wide), glandular-serrate along the edges, shiny above, greenish below. It blooms in March - April, long before the leaves appear. Red shelyuga is widespread throughout the European part of our country; it is extremely rare in the northern and eastern regions of Central Asia and Western Siberia. Inhabits river valleys on riverine sands, where it forms large thickets. Frost-resistant and drought-resistant. One of the most common in the country. One- or two-year-old twigs are used for weaving all kinds of products, with the exception of fruit and vegetable baskets, since this willow has a bitter bark.
Willow cordifolia
This type is good for small weaving. Naturally distributed in the south of Eastern Siberia and the Far East. It grows along the banks of small mountain rivers, without entering the mountains above 800 m above sea level. Found singly or in small groups. Photophilous. Annual shoots are thin, flexible, reddish-brown, bare, shiny. The buds are red-brown, with a curved tip, bare, shiny. The leaves are ovate, elliptical, shortly pointed, rounded at the base, glabrous, dark green above, bluish below. Petioles are short, pubescent. Stipules are shorter than the petiole, reniform or oblong, glandular-serrate. The annual twig is small and has little shoots. In terms of flexibility, it is second only to Buzuluk willow. It cleans well from bark.
- Russian, Caspian and pointed willows produce a thick twig, and it comes in both white and green;
- purple, twig-shaped, three-stamen and Buzuluk willows produce a medium twig, which is also white and green;
- American, Ural, wavy-leaved willow, as well as some cultivated varieties of twig-shaped willow, produce a thin white twig.
In fact, the division of willows according to the size of the twig is quite relative. In favorable conditions (humid fertile soils) almost any type of willow produces long and thick twigs; in unfavorable ones (on sandy, dry soils) they produce small and thin twigs. Only the Ural and wavy-leaved willow produce invariably thin twigs.
Here you can see photos of willow species, the descriptions of which are presented above:
Planting and caring for willow (with video)
Willow is very unpretentious and grows well on clay and sandy soils, unsuitable for agricultural crops. On soils rich in humus, the rods grow long and thick and are used only for making sticks and hoops. On less fertile soils, long, flexible, strong rods with a small core grow, suitable for weaving furniture and other products. Willow plots where the twigs are removed every year can be used for nine to ten years.
To grow willow, a suitable area is first cleared of foreign objects and leveled. If areas are swampy or wet, they should be drained. To do this, ditches are dug so that the subsoil water is approximately 40 cm below the surface of the earth. It is impossible to reclaim areas used for planting willow, since its thin roots grow through the walls of drainage pipes and clog them. In autumn, it is necessary to plow the soil to a depth of 30–50 cm, and the soil after fallow should be harrowed along and across the field. Moss found on peat bogs and swampy areas must be collected and burned.
When growing willow near rivers, furrows are plowed every 70–80 cm and seedlings are planted between them. If the willow grows poorly, you need to add potassium or nitrogen fertilizers into the soil.
When planting willows, use only healthy twigs taken from the best willow species, not dried out, undamaged, and of appropriate length. Typically, one- or two-year-old twigs are used for planting, cut after the first autumn frosts or in early spring.
The length of the rods depends on the composition and moisture of the soil. So, on fertile and moist soils, the twigs are cut to a length of about 15–20 cm, on soils of average humidity – 25–30 cm, on sandy soils – 40–60 cm. The cut twigs should be stored in a cold, wind-protected place, covered with moss. , and in winter a layer of snow. Depending on the variety and thickness, about 3–7 thousand seedlings are grown to obtain 100 kg of twigs. The resulting seedlings are tied into bunches of 250 pieces, and then every four bunches into one large bunch. The top part of the rods is dipped in a weak solution of lime.
Seedlings are planted in sandy and heavy soil in the fall, and in light soil in the spring, when the soil begins to crumble a little. If conditions are favorable, seedlings can be planted in winter. In the plots, seedlings are first planted on prepared squares of one hectare. To regulate moisture on wet soil, rows are laid from north to south; on dry soil, rows are laid from west to east; on floodplains - along the water flow; on slopes - across. To protect the seedlings from the wind, protective fences of brushwood 50 cm high are built at a distance of 50 meters from each other. Seedlings are planted first in places protected from the wind, and then in other areas. Planting density depends on the age of the twigs, the type of willow, the composition of the soil and the quality of its cultivation. When using twigs for weaving, after a year, seedlings are planted at a distance of 60 x 15 cm from each other, after 2 - 3 years - at a distance of 60 x 40 cm or 80 x 30 cm. For growing thin twigs, seedlings are placed at a distance of 30 - 40 cm from each other.
The number of seedlings per 1 hectare depends on the distance between them and between the rows. At a distance of 3 x 10 cm, about 333 thousand seedlings are required per hectare; at a distance of 60 x 15 cm, more than 110 thousand seedlings are required; at a distance of 60 x 40 cm, almost 42 thousand seedlings are required. Landing is carried out by three people. The first marks the holes, the second sticks rods into the holes, the third compacts the earth around the seedling. In order for the seedlings to be located at the same distance from each other, a rope with knots tied on it is stretched along the row.
In well-cultivated areas, the rods can be stuck directly into the soil vertically or at an angle of 45 degrees so that the tops do not protrude from the ground. The slope of the seedlings should be in one direction. In the first year, such seedlings grow one branch, which is cut off in the fall. If the top is above the ground after the seedling takes root, several weak branches grow from it. The bush will begin to form on the surface of the ground. Such seedlings, as a rule, rot and suffer from frost and insects. Only on floodplains of rivers and sandy soil are the rods planted so that the top protrudes 10 cm above the ground, which prevents the seedlings from being covered with sand.
Below is a video of the correct planting of willows in the garden:
Having finished planting, they begin caring for the willows: To do this, the soil is well loosened and weeds are destroyed. Instead of dead seedlings, one-year and two-year-old twigs are planted or branches of bushes are bent to the ground and partially covered. Planting against pests. During the first frost, the frozen tops of the rods are cut off. If after rain or flood the roots are exposed, they are covered with earth. Roots covered with silt or sand are dug up. To determine the suitability of the twigs, the bark is removed from them. If there are four or five bronze-colored dots on the rod, the waste will be from 40 to 50%. Hail-damaged twigs are used as seedlings or made into ribbons. Small and weak branches are cut off, the remaining ones are cut off after 2 - 3 years. With rational use and good care plots can be used for up to 30 years, and on floodplains and near rivers - much longer.
Loosening the soil, as a means of increasing its aeration and at the same time as a means of controlling weeds, is carried out to a depth of 3–5 cm. The frequency of loosening depends on the weed infestation and the mechanical condition of the soil. In the first year of planting, row spacing can be processed 4–5 times, in rows a little less often. In subsequent years, when the willow planting gains strength, the frequency of treatments can be reduced. Loosening row spacing is good to combine with hilling rows. Since stumps remain after each cutting of the rod, additional roots are formed on them after hilling, which increases the viability of the plants.
When caring for willows, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied simultaneously with loosening the soil. With good soil cultivation and fertilization, willow forms a powerful root system that intensively absorbs minerals from the soil. This is a guarantee of plant health, because with a developed root system, willow tolerates frost more easily and fights pests and diseases more successfully. Organic fertilizers supply plants with “food”, improve the physical properties of the soil, and help increase the vital activity of microorganisms.
The main sources of organic substances are and. They are scattered on the surface of the earth, which is then dug up. Willow's need for minerals is uneven over the years and increases during the first 5 years, after which it remains constant. The dosage of a mixture of mineral fertilizers should be set, taking into account in each special case fertility and soil composition, willow species, age of the plantation. Liming the soil has a positive effect on willow growth. The dosage of lime depends primarily on the acidity of the soil. On sandy loam soils it is required less than on loamy soils. Powdered lime is applied in dry weather, evenly scattering it over the surface of the earth.
The complex of works for caring for the “plantation” also includes cutting the rod. In the first year after planting, the rod has not yet reached a suitable size. Still, it is better to cut it off in order to get a small harvest of twigs suitable for weaving next year. Starting from the second year, the twig is cut annually or every 2–3 years if it is grown on a stick. Every 5-6 years the “plantations” are given a “rest” - the rods are not cut this year. In the second half of life, the “plantation”, especially when it is severely depleted, is given a two-year “rest”. This contributes to the viability of the willow and its sustained productivity.
The stumps remaining after cutting grow every year, acquiring bizarre shapes. They become a hindrance during work, their dead parts reduce the vegetative capacity of plants, wood-destroying fungi often appear on them, which gradually spread to the living tissue of the wood, damaging it, and various pests also appear there. Periodic removal of overgrown stumps has a beneficial effect on the viability of the plantation, as if rejuvenating it. It is not carried out often - every 7-10 years. 1–2 years after rejuvenation, it is useful to hill up the plants.
You can see how planting and caring for willows is done in the photos below:
How to deal with willow pests
You need to pay attention not only to feeding the willow and its pruning. It has quite a lot of pests, which the “planter” will also have to deal with.
This is first of all alder weevil- a small insect that pierces the bark and stem of a willow with its passages. The leaves on the shoot begin to dry, the wood of the twig is damaged, and when weaving, the twig breaks in the damaged area. The larvae of this beetle settle in lateral branches, remaining stumps, and cracks in the old bark. The main method of control is cutting down and burning the affected stems in the spring until mid-May, or in the fall, starting in September.
In second place in terms of harmfulness is willow yellow leaf beetle- a beetle that eats leaves. When the yellow leaf beetle develops massively, its larvae eat all the foliage. They most often overwinter in fallen leaves, under bark, and in dead stumps. With their wintering, leaf beetles have also determined the main method of combating them (by the way, it is also very effective against a number of other pests). After cutting the rod, the plantation is covered with straw and set on fire along with old leaves, branches, and small shoots. This is done in the fall or early spring before the buds swell in dry, windless weather in compliance with all fire safety rules. Such an event is especially recommended after rejuvenation of the plantation. After firing, fungal diseases are significantly reduced and the shoot-forming ability of willow is increased.
Such willow pests as common aphid, willow spider moth and other similar insects that form large colonies on young annual shoots, especially on the apical leaves, which quickly turn yellow and dry out, generally weakening the plant. They are found everywhere and affect willows of all species.
Willow has many other enemies, but numerous observations have shown that their mass distribution is observed mainly on unkempt plants weakened by weeds. Therefore, the main attention in the fight against willow diseases should be paid to their prevention. A healthy, strong, well-developing plant is resistant to diseases and pests. The basis of preventive measures is constant care of the willow, compliance with light, heat, water and air regimes.
Use of willow tree
Willow is recommended for single plantings or small groups. The weeping forms of willows (f. pendula) look especially beautiful; they look impressive against the backdrop of a lawn, on the shore of a reservoir or on alpine hills. Willow wood is used to make crafts, and in treeless regions it is also used as a building material. Leafy branches are used as animal feed.
Willow– one of the valuable tree and shrub species that have versatile, universal applications. This is a unique medicinal plant. Its bark is an excellent tanning agent, and its fiber is a raw material for making burlap, ropes and mats. The ability of willow to quickly produce a large amount of wood allows it to be widely used in pulp production and in the manufacture of plastics.
In steppe regions, poor in forests, the wood of shrubby willows is used for fuel, and commercial timber assortments are obtained from tree willows. The flowering of this tree begins much earlier than that of other plants, so willow is also a valuable honey plant. In addition, the use of willows is practiced to stabilize sand, cliffs and landslides. Finally, it provides an excellent, valuable material for weaving - a twig or, as it is also called, a vine.
Willow tree pruning (with photo)
It is very easy to make a weeping crown shape yourself. To do this, gradually remove all the lower branches until the height of the trunk reaches the desired size (usually 1.2–1.5 m is left, but this is not at all necessary). Then parts of the upper branches are allowed to grow and in the fall they are all bent down, evenly distributed around the trunk, and loosely tied to it. In subsequent years, the central trunk is cut off, the branches trying to grow upward are either cut off or tied down, and the part of the branches that grows horizontally is left to grow freely. After 2–4 years, all the piping is removed and then only the branches growing upward are cut down to the very base. This funny plant resembles an open umbrella with frayed edges. Such a plant is placed in the garden alone and not too large quantities. This way you can register the entrance or entrance to the site.
To give the goat willow a weeping shape, it is formed, like a standard rose, using candelabra trimming.
The height of the trunk should be no more than 1.8 - 2.5 cm.
The essence of this willow pruning is as follows: every year in the spring (April - May), the growth of the previous year is shortened to the upper outer bud. This promotes growth in the horizontal direction. Willow is a fast-growing plant, and each pruning brings the growing shoots closer to the ground.
Look at the photo of willow pruning to better understand how to shape the crown of the plant:
In a well-formed plant, the branches should reach the ground in the 3rd - 4th year. Old plants are rejuvenated in the spring with heavy pruning.
white willow, or silver (Vetla)- Salix alba L.It grows throughout Europe, extending beyond the Urals, with the exception of the Far North. Available in many reserves of the European part of Russia, Kazakhstan, the Caucasus, the Baltic states, Crimea, and Central Asia. It grows along the banks and valleys of rivers on sandy alluvium. Sometimes it forms pure stands. Light-loving hygromesophyte.
A large tree 20-25 m tall, with a powerful trunk covered with fissured, gray bark. The young branches are very impressive, thin, drooping, and silvery-pubescent at the ends. Older shoots are bare, shiny, yellowish or reddish-brown in color. The leaves are alternate, lanceolate, up to 15 cm long, silky-whitish in youth, later dark green above, bare, silvery below, silky-pubescent, which makes the tree very showy at the slightest breath of wind. Flower catkins develop simultaneously with leaves.
Grows in natural plantings on the territory of the GBS. Tree, at 26 years old, height 10.5 m, trunk diameter 26.0-32.0 cm. Grows from 30.IV ± 5 to 5.X ± 9 for 158 days. In the first 3 years it grows quickly. Blooms from 17.V ± 6 to 20.V ± 6 for 3 days. The fruits ripen in June. Produces plants from seeds of GBS reproduction. Winter hardiness is complete. 100% of cuttings root without treatment.
Twisty shape of white willow
Photo of Alexandra Menshova
It grows quickly, is photophilous, frost-resistant, has little soil requirements, and tolerates urban conditions well. Propagated by seeds and vegetatively. This plant reproduces well from both summer and lignified cuttings. The rooting percentage is close to 100. There are cases when even stakes dug into the ground take root. Lives up to 100 years.
An integral element in the compositions of large parks and forest parks located on the banks of large bodies of water. A valuable tree for quick landscaping of new buildings and industrial facilities. Used in groups and for road lining.
Decorative forms:
"Argentea". A large (about 25 m in height) tree, the flowing shoots of which are covered with silvery shiny oblong leaves up to 8-10 cm long. Later, the leaves become dark green, smooth on the upper side, and remain shiny white on the lower side. Their autumn color - yellow In early spring, when the leaves have not yet blossomed, the entire tree is covered with golden earrings and from a distance looks like a yellow cloud.
"Coerulea". A large (up to 20 m) tree, the leaves of which are sea-green above and light below.
"Limpde" - tree 20 - 40 m high. Trunk diameter up to 3 m. The crown is narrow-conical, with a diameter of 10 - 12 m. The bark is gray, dark gray, with deep cracks. The shoots are yellowish, then light brown. The leaves are lanceolate, up to 10 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, green. It blooms in April - May at the same time as the leaves bloom. Honey plant. Grows quickly. Photophilous. Prefers moist alkaline soils. Tolerates prolonged moisture, but does not tolerate waterlogging. It has beautiful shape crowns Frost-resistant;
"Tristis" - tree 15 - 20 m high. The crown is spreading, with hanging shoots, 15 - 20 m in diameter. The bark is yellowish, then brown. The shoots are yellow. The leaves are lanceolate, 8 - 12 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, green. Autumn color is yellow-green. It blooms in April - May simultaneously with the leaves blooming or a little later. The earrings are yellow. Honey plant. Grows quickly. Photophilous. Tolerates dry soils, but prefers moist ones. It has a very picturesque weeping crown.
"Sericea". A tree about 10 m high with silver leaves and a rounded crown. It grows slowly and reaches its maximum size only at 15-20 years. White willow still has a variety called "Splendes" with silver leaves on both sides.
weeping(f. pendula) - a form in which, in addition to the unique shape of the crown, the color of the bark of young (up to four years old) shoots is remarkable: in early spring and summer the bark is bright mustard, and in summer it acquires a red-brown “tan” from the sunny side. The leaves are very elegant, up to 10 cm long with a width of only 1.5 cm, with finely pointed tips, colored light green. Branches with leaves fall like yellow-green streams of a waterfall. Propagated very easily by green summer and woody cuttings. Easily withstands waterlogged soil.
Photo by Olga Blokhman
S. a. var. vitellina (L.) Stokes- I.b. yolk-yellow. In GBS since 1955, 2 samples were grown from cuttings obtained from VNIILM (Moscow) and Germany. Tree, height 7.8 m, trunk diameter 9.5/16.5 cm. Blooms in May. The fruits ripen in June. Winter hardiness is complete.
And also the forms:
yellow weeping(f. vitellina pendula) - with very long yellow shoots, extremely beautiful near the water; Britzenian(f. vitellina britzensis) - with red shoots; brilliant(f. splendes) - with leaves, silvery on both sides, silky-shiny below; gray(f. coerulea) - a large tree with obliquely upward directed branches and bluish leaves; oval(f. ovalis) - with oblong-elliptical leaves.
White willow varieties are popular abroad" Cremesina"with bright scarlet bark of young shoots and" Vitellina"with golden-yellow bark of annual growth. These varieties are pruned low after or even before flowering, as a result of which the bushes consist only of annual shoots, which allows you to admire their beautiful bright branches against the backdrop of snow every early spring. Over the summer, the shoots grow again, and that’s it repeats from the beginning. In the German company "Kordes" you can purchase varieties " Darts Snake" - a vigorous, wide bush with dark foliage and " Tristis Resistants"is a rust-resistant bush or tree with intensely colored branches; long, feather-like golden-yellow branches make the bush unusually decorative.
Decorative forms are indispensable in single, small group and contrasting plantings. Despite the fact that these are quite large plants, white willow varieties can be grown in a small garden. Their crown can be quickly formed into a beautiful ball. To do this, simply cut the tree at the desired height. If you do not leave the trunk, but plant the plant on a stump (that is, practically cut the tree down to the ground), then you will have the same ball, but lying on the ground. By repeating this procedure periodically, you can keep the plant within certain dimensional limits. With this simple step you can place this beauty in a small area.
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