Osier. Basket Willow
Salix viminalis
Family: Salicaceae
What it is like
Salix viminalis is a deciduous Tree growing to 6 m (19ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen in June. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is not self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.
Height (m): 6
Where it is found
By rivers and streams, also on deep moist alluvial soils, avoiding very acid soils.
Europe, incl Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to France through temperate Asia to Japan.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Inner bark - raw or cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and then added to cereal flour for use in making bread etc. A very bitter flavour, it is a famine food that is only used when all else fails. Young shoots - cooked. Not very palatable.
Inner bark: the bark that is found just beneath the tough outer bark of trees and shrubs.
Medicine
Rating: 2
Antirheumatic, febrifuge. The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin, which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Other
Rating: 3
The stems are very flexible and are used in basket making. The plant is usually coppiced annually when grown for basket making, though it is possible to coppice it every two years if thick poles are required as uprights. The annual yield can be around 12 tonnes per hectare, 40% of which is class 1. The bark contains about 10% tannin. Often planted along the banks of rivers and lakes to prevent soil erosion.
Basketry: Plant used in making baskets and other items such as chairs. Includes plants that are only used as an ornamental addition.
Fodder: Food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them) rather than forage for themselves.
Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.
Tannin: An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.
Fodder: Bank: Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
Industrial Crop: Biomass: Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
Industrial Crop: Tannin: Occur generally in the roots, wood, bark, leaves, and fruit of many plants. Used in tanning leather, dyeing fabric, making ink, and medical applications.
Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
Other Systems: SRC: Short-rotation coppice.
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Fodder: Bank: Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
Industrial Crop: Biomass: Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
Industrial Crop: Tannin: Occur generally in the roots, wood, bark, leaves, and fruit of many plants. Used in tanning leather, dyeing fabric, making ink, and medical applications.
Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
Other Systems: SRC: Short-rotation coppice.
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Succeeds in most soils, including wet, ill-drained or intermittently flooded soils, but prefers a damp, heavy soil in a sunny position. Dislikes heavy shade and dry soils. Rarely thrives on chalk. Tolerates atmospheric pollution. A fast growing tree, it is very wind resistant. Widely cultivated for basket making, there are many named varieties. Trees are usually coppiced annually for this purpose, they do not respond so well to pollarding. It should be cut back almost to ground level each year when being grown for basket making since this encourages the production of long flexible shoots. In very good conditions plants can put on 4 metres or more of new growth in a year when treated in this way. A very important food source for the caterpillars of many butterfly species, it is also a valuable early pollen source for bees. The plants are rich in insect life. Best planted into its permanent position as soon as possible. The root system is rather aggressive and can cause problems with drains. Plants are best not grown within 10 metres of buildings. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Propagating it: Seed - must be surface sown as soon as it is ripe in late spring. It has a very short viability, perhaps as little as a few days. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, November to February in a sheltered outdoor bed or planted straight into their permanent position and given a good weed-suppressing mulch. Very easy. Plant into their permanent positions in the autumn. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, June to August in a frame. Very easy.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist, wet