The Salicaceae or Willow family is now a much larger family.
It just used to include the willows, poplar, aspen, and cottonwoods.
Genetic studies summarized by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) have greatly expanded the circumscription of the family to contain 56 genera and about 1220 species, including the Scyphostegiaceae and many of the former Flacourtiaceae.
BUT; fortunately for us, in the British Isles it has only two main genera, namely the Poplar and the Willow. Although the flowers (as always in traditional classification) determine the ultimate genus and whether it is a Willow or Poplar, most of us can easily tell the difference from the leaves. All the Poplars have a triangular, broad oval, to heart-shape outline with often a long leaf stem (petiole) whilst most of the Willows have long, narrow leaves or roundish, much smaller leaves than Poplars.
When there are no leaves in winter the tree could be identified by the winter buds, where Willows just have one outer scale and the Poplar has several. Here you can find the post all about the poplars.
Pictures by Matt Summers and Mike Poulton unless stated. The links provided on the scientific and common plant names provide more detailed information as well as good pictures on each species. Also special thanks to PFAF which provides a wonderful plant database of not just native plants but any useful plants all over the world.
There are links on the Scientific name from the Plant Atlas Online and I also copied the general ecological information from them. Wikipedia or other websites provide more information about the uses, etc. FBBC added in the Contents behind name if this willow occurs in the Birmingham and Black Country area and Flora.
Contents
Classification of the Willows
Section 1: SALIX
- Salix pentandra or Bay Willow FBBC
- S. x meyeriana (Salix fragilis x pentandra) or Shiny-leaved Willow FBBC
- S x ehrhartiana ( S. pentandra x S. alba)or Ehrhart’s Willow FBBC
- S. euxina or Crack Willow
- S. x fragilis or Hybrid Crack Willow FBBC
- S. x rubens (S. alba x S. fragilis) or Hybrid Crack-willow FBBC
- S. x pendulina (S. fragilis x S. babylonica) or Weeping Crack-willow FBBC
- S. alba or White Willow (archaeophyte) FBBC
- S. babylonica f. pekinenis ‘Tortuosa’ (in Stace)
- S. sepulcralis (s. alba x S. babylonica) or Weeping willow FBBC
- S. triandra or Almond Willow (arch.) FBBC
- S. x mollissima (Salix triandra x viminalis) or Sharp-stipuled Willow (arch.) FBBC
Section 2: VETRIX
- S. purpurea or Purple Willow FBBC
- S. viminalis or Osier (arch.) FBBC
- S. x smithiana (Salix cinerea x viminalis) or Broad-leaved Osier FBBC
- S. x calodendron (Salix caprea x cinerea x viminalis ) or Holme Willow FBBC
- S. x stipularis (Salix aurita x caprea x viminalis) or Eared Osier
- S. x holosericea (Salix viminalis x cinerea) or Silky-leaved Osier FBBC
- S. x fruticosa (Salix aurita x viminalis) or Shrubby Osier
- S. caprea or Goat Willow FBBC
- S. cinerea or Grey Willow FBBC
- S. x reichardtii (S. caprea x S. cinerea) FBBC
- S. x capreola (S. caprea x S. aurita) FBBC
- S. x laurina (Salix cinerea x phylicifolia) or Laurel-leaved Willow
- S. aurita or Eared Willow FBBC
- S. eriocephala or Heart-leaved Willow FBBC
- S. myrsinifolia or Dark-leaved Willow FBBC
- S. phylicifolia or Tea-leaved Willow
- S. repens or Creeping Willow FBBC
- S. lapponum or Downy Willow
- S. lanata or Woolly Willow
- S. arbuscula or Mountain Willow
Section 3: CHAMAETIA
- S. myrsinites or Whortle Leaved Willow
- S. herbacea or Dwarf Willow
- S. reticulata or Net Leaved Willow
- Salix eriocephala or Heart-leaved Willow FBBC
General information about the Willows
- Different uses for Willow:
- Ornamental Use of Willows and the most important ornamental species
- Medicinal Use of Willows
- Agricultural Uses
- Manufacturing and historical uses
- Recreational island at Langeraarsche Plassen, Netherlands
- Arts and Crafts Use:
- Wildlife
- Energy Use
- Environmental Use
- Use in Religion
- Pollarding explained