Salix viminalis
Saule des vanniers/Osier vert
Basket Willow
Additional information
| Plant family | |
|---|---|
| Area | Sainte Baume |
| Flower colour | green |
| Flower size | catkins 30 mm |
| Flowering months | March, April, May |
| Leaf type | Linear |
| Height | 3-6 m |
Description
A shrub with long, erect, straight branches with greenish-grey bark. The flexible twigs (withies) are used in basketry.
Commonly found near streams or wet places.
Flowers
Flowers (catkins) are produced before the leaves. Male and female flowers are on separate shrubs. Male catkins are yellow and oval-shaped, female catkins are thread-like and more cylindrical.
Leaves
Linear narrow blade leaf, like grass. Long, slender, grey hairy beneath, 10-25 cm long, 0.5-2 cm wide.
Fruits Seeds
Capsule: in 2 parts, splits open when ripe, fluffy seeds.
Medical
Bark: willow bark has been used since the 1st century A.D. for pain relief and to lower fever. Willow yields salicylic acid, which was first synthesized in 1838 and provides the basis of aspirin.
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