CRACK WILLOW – Salix fragilis: [ 6 ]
The crack willow grows to 25m tall and is hard to tell apart from the white willow. The bark is dark brown and develops deep fissures with age. The leaves are long and dark green on the top and a lighter green underneath. The catkins arrive before the leaves and once pollinated become fluffy ‘pussy willow’. Trees tend to grow alongside rivers and lakes. The catkins provide pollen for bees and other insects and the leaves are used by some moths. The willow stems are very flexible and are used for weaving a huge variety of useful objects including baskets.
The crack willow grows to 25m tall and is hard to tell apart from the white willow. The bark is dark brown and develops deep fissures with age. The leaves are long and dark green on the top and a lighter green underneath. The catkins arrive before the leaves and once pollinated become fluffy ‘pussy willow’. Trees tend to grow alongside rivers and lakes. The catkins provide pollen for bees and other insects and the leaves are used by some moths. The willow stems are very flexible and are used for weaving a huge variety of useful objects including baskets.
