Osier - Catkins

Description:

Salix viminalis is a multistemmed shrub growing to between 3–6 m (rarely to 10 m) tall. It has long, erect, straight branches with greenish-grey bark. The leaves long and slender, 10–25 cm long but only 0.5–2 cm broad; they are dark green above, with a silky grey-haired underside. The flowers are catkins, produced in early spring before the leaves; they are dioecious, with male and female catkins on separate plants. The male catkins are yellow and oval-shaped; the female catkins are longer and more cylindrical; they mature in early summer when the fruit capsules split open to release the numerous minute seeds.

Habitat:

It is commonly found by streams and other wet places. The exact native range is uncertain due to extensive historical cultivation; it is certainly native from central Europe east to western Asia, but may also be native as far west as southeastern England. As a cultivated or naturalised plant, it is widespread throughout both Britain and Ireland, but only at lower altitudes. It is one of the least variable willows, but it will hybridise with several other species

Notes:

Salix viminalis is a tall shrub or small tree which usually grows to between 3 and 6 metres in height. Its erect or suberect branches usually form a rather narrow, truncate or rounded crown. The bark is greyish-brown and fissured and twigs are long and straight, very tough and flexible and at first ashy-pubescent becoming smooth and a lustrous yellowish-brown later. Osier leaves are linear or narrowly linear-lanceolate, between 10-15cm long and 0.5-1.5cm wide, and are dull green and thinly puberulous above and silvery below. Catkins appear before the leaves in late February, March or early April and are generally crowded towards the tips of twigs. They are yellow, between 1.5-3cm long and 0.5-1cm wide and are densely flowered. Distribution Salix viminalis can be easily identified in winter because of its early flowering at a time when the landscape is otherwise devoid of colour. Osier is common everywhere in Britain and Ireland but seldom seen except at low altitudes. It is one of the least variable of willows but will hybridize with other willows. The hybrid with Salix triandra provides a link between the willows of the Salix fragilis group and the Sallows ( http://www.jprwillow.co.uk/salix_viminal... )