White willow, Salix albaCultivars include the Cricket bat willows S. alba cv. 'Coerulea', `Foreman Essex', `Kew Strain', 'Lockinge' and `Oath'. Other tree willows include 'Belders', `Liempde' and `Tinaarlo'. Sources of seed and plants White willow is most common in England and less so in south west England, Wales, northern England and Scotland. Associated species include Black alder, Downy birch, Osier, Crack and Grey willows. Cricket bat willow is mainly grown in East Anglia. Crack willow has a similar distribution to White willow but is found further west and is more frequent than White willow in Scotland. Silviculture All the tree willows are light demanding and must have space to develop their crowns in full exposure to light. Soil types They are found alongside streams and rivers and are planted beside open ditches on deep, stiff alluvial loams or fertile boulder clays. Crack willow is more tolerant of poor soils. Rate of growth and yield Fast growing, erect trees attaining heights of 20 to 25 metres. The Cricket bat willows have straight stems and small upward-slanting branches forming pyramidal crowns. The cultivar 'Liempde' has a narrow crown. White willow can produce stems with diameters of' 100 cms but Cricket hat willows are felled when the stem diameter reaches 50 cms. Protection and resistance The watermark disease Erwinia salicis stains the timber making it valueless; the willow borer Cryptorrhynchua lapathi may carry the bacterium. The willows are damaged by late spring frosts which are one cause of stem cankers. They withstand exposure to wind and cv. 'Liempde' is suitable for tall windbreaks. The y do not tolerate atmospheric pollution. They are rarely damaged by grey squirrels, but must be protected from cattle. Establishing and tending Planting stock is produced from unrooted “sets" or rooted hardwood cuttings. Timber properties A diffuse-porous wood with fine, even texture. The sapwood is mainly white in colour and the heartwood pinkish. Straight grained and light in weight (450 kg/m3 seasoned) the wood dries well and fairly rapidly but local pockets of moisture are apt to persist. Clear timber is poor for bending and satisfactory for staining and polishing. The heartwood is perishable and resistant to preservatives. Amenity value The elegant habit and white undersides of the leaves of White willow are matched by the blue-grey leaf' colour of Cricket bat willow. Conservation The native willows support 266 species of insect. They are browsed by red deer. Timber value A light and easily worked timber used for artificial limbs, chip baskets, plywood, particle board and paper pulp. Economic appraisal A useful group of trees, easy to raise and establish, visually attractive providing quick screens or shelter belts and producing a good general purpose timber on sites not suitable for poplar. Tree willows should not be planted close to the foundations of buildings. |
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