Willow is one of the most common trees both in Russia and in other countries. The plant is unusually well in itself: a strong trunk, long hanging branches, leaves of all shades of green and flowers, like fluffy earrings, fascinate with their beauty and beckon to the world of nature and harmony. Many grow willow in their gardens or at home.
The tree has served as inspiration for many writers, poets and artists for a long time. A. Fet, A. Akhmatova, S. Yesenin, F. Tyutchev and others wrote about him. The famous storyteller G. H. Andersen, who owns the fairy tale "Under the Willow", also did not stand aside. The painting "Weeping Willow" by C. Monet is also known.
The tree is widely used in manufacturing, industry, agriculture and medicine.
Tree spread
Today many people know what a willow tree looks like. It is quite easy to find a photo of a tree. And these plants appeared many years ago. Archaeologists have discovered prints of willow leaves in sediments that date back to the Cretaceous.
Some members of the family are found even in the Arctic Circle. Sizes range from trees with a trunk of fifteen meters to small shrubs. In nature, there is a huge number of willows, some are more common, while others are not so well known.
Shelyuga, willow, willow, willow, vine, tal - all these are trees and shrubs that belong to the same family - Willow.
Texture
Willow belongs to the heartwood, the sapwood is white with a slight brown tint, the core is brown-red. The texture pattern on the longitudinal sections is formed by light and dark stripes running along the grain. Annual layers are well distinguishable, since they are dark colored at the border. The core rays are poorly visible, and almost invisible, so the texture pattern is inexpressive.
Detailed study of willow
People are constantly studying nature. Natural knowledge helps to survive. When collecting plants for food, one should understand what is dangerous, and where useful elements are hidden.
The first descriptions of willow are found in the first century. Pliny the Elder described more than five species in his books. With the development of science, people learn more and more about living nature and try to classify everything. Willow has always been of interest to scientists. The tree, whose species were not so numerous many years ago (more than two dozen), created a number of disputes between Linnaeus and Skopoli.
The family was also studied in Russia. It was the Soviet scientist Skvortsov who collected and ordered all the available data on trees, typified and selected the appropriate names, and identified subspecies.
However, their huge variety to this day causes controversy and different opinions in scientific circles. Some countries even have their own schools for the study of these trees. Willow represents a huge variety of shapes and colors. Photo of a tree is most often weeping types located on the banks of rivers or lakes. Probably because these plants look especially bright and inspirational.
Representatives of these plants can be observed in the botanical gardens of England and Paris.
Brief information about willow
One of the most ancient plants on the planet, willow is found in the imprints of the Cretaceous rocks.She was born in Eurasia, but grows in the temperate latitudes of North America. Some willow species grow in the tropics and subtropics, where the humidity is high.
The expanses of Russia are wide and immense, in different regions there are different names of the plant: willow, willow, willow and others.
In botany, willow is a deciduous shrub or a rounded tree of small size. Willow leaves are lanceolate or broadly oval, up to 12 cm in length and up to 8 in width. The top side is dark green and the bottom is green-gray.
The flowering period occurs in April and lasts until the leaves appear. The famous willow catkins are actually male inflorescences up to 6 cm in length. The plant is resistant to low temperatures. Most varieties are suitable for weaving.
Willow family
Three trees: poplar, willow and chozenia. What unites them? All of them belong to the Willow family and together have more than four hundred species. The main part grows in regions with a temperate climate, but there are plants that have reached the tropics, which indicates a variety of possible cultivation options. There are trees from the family growing in Africa.
These trees love light and moisture, but to varying degrees. Many are able to endure life in conditions with a lack of water. If we talk about poplars, then they are represented only by trees. Tall and strong trunks with lush crowns.
Is willow a tree or a bush? It can be a tree with a huge tall trunk or a lush shrub, a small, spreading plant. But the smallest species (from the Arctic and the Alps) still did not become herbs.
Willow can be found on the banks of the river. This is one of the best places for a tree - a lot of moisture and sun. In this case, individual specimens can be found on slopes, sands, swamps and in the forest (as an admixture to other trees).
Treatment
Since willow wood is soft, it requires a sharp tool for its processing. It is cut well along and across the fibers, resembling a linden tree. It lends itself very well to grinding, the ability to adhere is high. Willow wood is easily processed with various stains, stains and varnishes. But willow wood is especially valued for its flexibility, which increases even more when steamed.
Three kinds of willow
Poplars can be considered the most primitive representative of the family. Although in some areas they are found almost at every turn. They are of great importance to humans. Due to their natural growth rate and unpretentious nature, they become an excellent source of wood.
Chozenia is represented by only one species. The tree is very fond of sunlight and grows on soil, which consists of a mixture of gravel and sand. Chozenia groves do not grow. As they age, they dry out and disintegrate, or are replaced by other species. It is difficult enough to reproduce, therefore they do not have a wide distribution.
Willow is a tree that is the most diverse genus of the family. You can meet him in any geographic location. It is divided into three subgenera: Salix, Vetrix and Chamaetia. Each of them has its own characteristics and many representatives. You can meet such trees in many places on our planet. Huge, strong and small decorative.
Contraindications and plant harm
Vetla preparations cannot be combined with aspirin, because it enhances the action of the salicylates present in them. In addition, it is forbidden to use them:
- For allergic reactions to aspirin.
- Ulcers and suffering from gastrointestinal pathologies.
- Children under 16 years old.
- Together with anticoagulants to avoid bleeding.
- In the treatment of seizures, the use of certain pain medications.
- With increased blood pressure.
Do not use them uncontrollably by nursing and pregnant women, patients taking other medicines. These drugs are not compatible with alcohol either.
Subgenus Salix
Most of the representatives are trees. The list includes approximately thirty species. Such a willow is a tree whose leaves are always sharp, flat. The veins are not depressed, and the edges are not twisted.
White willow is medium to large in size. Leaves are whitish with a silvery tint. Most often grows in river valleys. They are often bred, especially by residents of rural areas.
In addition, there are decorative representatives. Weeping willow is a tree that can be found in Asia Minor. It is from there that the representative who bears the name fragile comes from. A plucked branch of such a tree takes root well. Thanks to this, the species has spread far beyond its homeland - this tree can be found in many parts of Europe.
The five-headed willow is interesting for its external characteristics. It has beautiful foliage, as if covered with gloss. The very last of all representatives of its kind blooms, and only by the end of the warm pore its seeds ripen. Throughout autumn and winter, the tree is decorated with hanging dry earrings.
Decorative shapes of white willow
The white willow has several well-known decorative varieties:
- Tristis - a tree with a spreading and high crown, reaching up to two tens of meters. The branches are drooping, with a yellowish bark, the leaves are long and narrow, in the fall they are yellow-green. Picturesque yellow earrings that appear at the junction of April and May. Well-known melliferous culture. Grows in open, moist areas.
- Argentea - no less tall tree with silvery, large and oblong leaves. Later, they retain a silvery shade only on the underside, and by autumn they turn yellow. Earrings appear even before the leaves bloom.
- Limpde - the tallest willow species with a powerful, three-meter trunk. The crown is cone-shaped with green leaves. Blooms with already open leaves in late spring. Good honey plant. Loves light, damp places, but does not tolerate acidic and waterlogged soils. It tolerates low temperatures well.
- Weeping (pendula) - a tree with a drooping crown and a bark color of young specimens that distinguishes from other varieties. They have it at first a mustard hue, and in the midst of the summer heat - reddish-brown on the sunny side. The leaves are long and very narrow, light green in color, resembling a waterfall in mass.
- Sericea - a relatively short tree of a round shape with leaves that shine with silver. It reaches its maximum ten-meter growth only at the age of 20.
Vetrix and Hamitea
Together, these two subspecies number more than three hundred representatives. The willow tree, the description of which is given below, is found in forest zones with moderate climatic conditions and belongs to the subspecies Vetrix (goat willow or delirium). It has large, spreading branches and a smooth trunk. It tolerates transplanting in various conditions, therefore it is quite popular with gardeners. Vetrix subspecies is a willow, tree or shrub of sufficiently large growth. In addition, the representatives differ in the structure of the buds, early flowering and shoots with absent or underdeveloped foliage.
The hametei group includes mostly low-growing shrubs, some of which are creeping. Earrings are located at the very end of the deciduous shoot. Seeds ripen late enough. In the forest-tundra, you can most often see the gray-blue willow. Polar and grass grows interestingly. Their trunk is deeply immersed in soil or moss, and only thin twigs with foliage come out.
Willow planting rules
When starting to plant a willow, it is worth considering the type of its root system. For planting willows, the root system of which is closed, any time is suitable - from April to October. Plants with an open root system are best planted in early spring, before bud break, or in late fall, after the leaves have fallen.
The planting process itself consists of the following stages:
- Dig a planting hole, the diameter of which for shrub species should be 50 cm, for tall trees - 60 cm.The depth of the planting hole for both species is 40 cm.A willow seedling with a closed root system is placed in a hole the size of which is equal to an earthly coma.
- If the soil is heavy, the bottom of the pit should be covered with sand or gravel (20-30 cm) to ensure drainage.
- For direct planting of a willow seedling, a substrate is prepared from peat, compost, soil in equal proportions, and Azophoska is added to it (200 g for one plant). A third of the planting pit is filled with this substrate and a seedling is placed in it.
- After that, the pit is filled up, and the earth around it is tamped, making a small depression for watering.
- After completing the process, you need to pour two buckets of water onto the soil.
- A tall seedling is tied to a stake previously forgotten in the ground so that it does not break and is fixed in an upright position.
Important! You should not plant heat-loving willow species in the fall, as they will not have time to get stronger by the beginning of the winter cold, and may die during the onset of frost.
The most common representatives
In Europe, Russia, Central Asia, on the slopes, forest edges and forests, you can meet goat willow.
This plant is ten meters high and has a round and dense crown. Sometimes it can be a bush.
Another tree of the goat willow genus is the Mas willow, characterized by spreading foliage, greenish bark and dark red shoots. The plant is unpretentious to the soil, grows quickly enough, and the average life expectancy is thirty years.
A rather well-known tree in our area is willow. The description of the appearance of a weeping beauty has a fabulous and romantic story - about a girl who lost her lover and turned into an elegant tree. Standing on the shore, she sheds tears to this day, remembering the loss.
How to care for a tree
The silver willow needs special care only during adaptation to a new planting place. Despite the fact that the plant is unpretentious, do not forget about it in the next years of life:
- The main rule of caring for a willow that has been recently planted is watering, since the tree is extremely moisture-loving. It is necessary to water the seedling once a week, early or in the evening. To organize the process, use 2-5 buckets of water. Also, the tree needs spraying.
- Young white willows need to loosen the soil to the depth of a shovel bayonet.
- In order for the tree to grow qualitatively, it is necessary to mulch the soil with peat, the layer of which should be 5-7 cm.
- For the formation of a decorative crown, the willow do "haircuts" of long shoots and trimming of dead branches.
- If you notice poor plant growth, it needs feeding. Nitroammofoska (60-80 g / plant) is the best fertilizer.
Important! To create an aesthetic effect, the crown of a willow tree during the pruning process can be formed in the form of a probe, a ball or even a rectangle.
Application
A distinctive feature of the willow, which is actively used by all mankind, can be considered a well-developed root system. It usually covers a large area and has many branches. Thanks to this, it holds the soil perfectly. It is used for:
- strengthening of loose rocks;
- regulation of rivers in mountainous areas;
- strengthening of canal banks and at dam sites;
- strengthening of sharp sloping slopes;
- preventing erosion in the steppes;
- retention of sands in places with high humidity.
The wood is suitable as a material for crafts, it is quite soft and lightweight. In some areas, residential buildings are being erected from willow. Some animals love to feast on foliage. Willow is a tree that is considered an excellent honey plant; bees willingly visit it to collect nectar.
The bark is used in leather tanning. A variety of weaving is made from it, as well as from flexible and durable branches.
Botanical description and distribution of white willow
White willow (Salix alba) has other names - silver willow, willow, willow and willow. The name of the genus, translated from the Celtic, sounds like "growing near the water", speaking about the place of growth characteristic of willow. White willow is a tree up to 30 meters high, and its trunk can grow up to one and a half meters wide. Its dark gray, thick bark is indented with cracks. The crown configuration is oval or round. Leaves are elongated and narrow with a slight edge below. Shoots are very flexible and long. Earring flowers appear in mid-spring and attract a large number of pollinating insects. The roots of this tree are lateral, occupy a large area, and the depth of their advancement depends on the nature of the soil. In high humidity conditions, it reaches three meters.
This species easily lends itself to hybridization, more often - spontaneous, while losing many characteristic differences. It grows along water bodies, often forming thickets and large groves. Its neighbors are often poplar, alder, elderberry, or other willow varieties. White willow is widespread almost throughout Europe (except for the north), Asia and northern Africa.
Use in traditional medicine
It is difficult to find a willow-like tree that has such a wide distribution and varied uses.
Trees of all types have nutrients in their composition. Goats, brittle willows and some other representatives are especially rich in them.
Bark medicines help with inflammation, relieve pain, increase blood clotting ability, and reduce urine production.
After conducting clinical studies, the efficacy of willow was established during the treatment of hypertension.
For people suffering from tachycardia and neurosis, you can take a decoction or tinctures based on inflorescences.
Since ancient times, it was believed that willow has magical properties. What tree is used in Christian ceremonies? Willow, belonging to the willow family. Previously, she was credited with the strongest healing properties. It was believed that by swallowing a kidney, you can get rid of fever and other diseases.
Broths are used externally or drunk - depending on the problem. For example, they rinse the mouth with inflammations and make baths with strong sweating.
Physical and mechanical properties
Willow wood is similar in characteristics to poplar wood. The density is low, in a dried state (at 12% humidity) it ranges from 400 to 450 kg / m3. The wood is viscous, soft and resilient. Splitting resistance is average. The resistance to decay is weak, but the protective compounds are well received. Willow wood has good flexibility, which improves after soaking. The ability to hold fasteners is satisfactory and close to that of linden wood.
Breeding
People who are engaged in weaving from vines have some difficulty in finding materials. Therefore, many are thinking about breeding their own small plantation.
For good growth, choose an area that is well lit and humid enough. It is best if the soil chemistry is acidic.
You can grow a new tree using seeds or cuttings. In order for them to take root and give good shoots, you should carefully consider the choice of the part for germination. It is best to use a cutting that is located at the very bottom of the trunk. This part is called the butt.
Willow is a tree that is planted in the spring or fall. The thickness and height depend on the frequency of the location. The closer the trees are, the thinner the trunk will be.
Properties and treatment of white willow (video)
The healing properties of vetla containing salicin, flavonoids, resins, ascorbic acid and others, used in such cases:
- For gargling for sore throats and gums.
- For the treatment of skin inflammations, reduction of sweating of the feet.
- Its drugs, which have analgesic antipyretic, diaphoretic, hemostatic, anti-thrombotic, diuretic properties, are useful in the treatment of:
- Gastritis - as improving digestion.
- Gynecological diseases - to relieve inflammation and stop bleeding.
- Tuberculosis and fever.
- Rheumatism, headaches, gout - as a pain reliever.
- Diarrhea - as an astringent.
- Hypotension - to raise the tone of the body, etc.
Where is willow used
Shrub species, united by the common name - willow, has many uses of a different nature.
- Woody varieties are excellent for making crafts, and in the steppe regions they are common as a building material.
- Shrubs are used as a fuel cell.
- Due to the rapid growth of rocks, willow is used in the cellulose industry, is involved in the manufacture of plastic.
- Many breeds, which were discussed above, produce rods used in wicker weaving.
- The cattle are fed with leafy branches.
- Medicinal use.
- The bark is used in tanning, and the fiber is used in the production of sackcloths, rope and mats.
- Due to its early flowering, willow is a valuable melliferous plant.
- The use of decorative varieties of willow in landscape design involves single plantings or planting of several trees (they try to avoid large groups). Weeping willows are especially effective in combination with a lawn, alpine slides or next to a reservoir.
- Willow roots serve as a reinforcement measure for cliffs to protect against landslides.
How much is the use of willow
Willow is not only a beautiful tree, but also helps in medicine. The bark of a tree is mainly used for treatment. She treats diseases such as:
- Decrease in pressure;
- Tachycardia;
- Nervous disorders.
Tincture on willow bark, helps, with a decrease in temperature, relieve pain and remove intestinal upset. Also, preparations are made with willows for rinsing the mouth.
A decoction of these trees helps with sweat. It is used in the form of baths. So that the broth helps better, add birch buds.
Also, folk medicine uses willow, for such diseases:
- Fever;
- Cold;
- Rheumatism;
- An upset bowel movement;
- Stomach colic;
- Gout;
- Diseases of the spleen.
The remedy is very diuretic. It also stops the blood.
Decoctions also help treat sore throats, muscle fatigue, varicose veins, and inflammation in the mouth.
