Long recognized as the correct name for the willow commonly known as 'Crack Willow', the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants (NCVP) have ruled that this name is actually referrable to the widely distributed hybrid of a glabrous species, native of Northern Turkey and transcaucasian Georgia, and Salix alba. (That species has since been legitimately named as Salix euxina J.L.Belyaeva) See Irena Belyaeva, 'Nomenclature of Salix fragilis L. and a New Species, S. euxina (Salicaceae)', Taxon, Vol. 58, No. 4 (Nov., 2009), pp. 1344-1348.
The genus Salix, as recognised in 2019, is comprised of probably more than 300 distinct species (over 500 if you also accept hybrid species). Many of these species are very similar, sometimes being separated as much by native range as by any other characteristic. Hybridization between species is common, when this is coupled with the high genetic and morphological variability within many species, and different levels of ploidy, the complexity of this genus is clear.
Misidentification of specimens is not rare, even amongst botanists, and many records of plant use will often equally apply to one or more related species that were not seen as distinct when the report was made. Equally, several species not included in the database will be found to have a range of these uses. In general, all species in the genus have medicinal uses, especially as antiinflammatories, analgesics and febrifuges, they can all serve as emergency foods, many of them have flexible stems and can be used in basket making, and many of them can be planted in moist to wet conditions in order to stabilize the soil and improve wildlife habitats.

Common Name: Crack Willow

General Information

Salix fragilis is a deciduous tree that can grow around 15 - 30 metres tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is planted along embankments and on sand dunes etc in order to stabilize the soil, it sometimes grown for use in basket making or as a biomass crop, and is planted as an ornamental in parks and large gardens[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

W. Asia - Turkey. Widely naturalized throughout much of Europe

Habitat

Streamsides, marshes, fens and wet woods[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Salix fragilis is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant.
Succeeds in most soils, including wet, ill-drained or intermittently flooded soils,[] but prefers a deep damp, heavy soil in a sunny position[, ]. Tolerant of poorer soils than Salix alba[]. Rarely thrives on chalk[]. Succeeds in an exposed position[].
The branches are highly brittle at their base - these can snap off quite easily and when they fall to the ground will often form roots and grow into new plants so long as the soil is moist[].
This species is a natural hybrid between Salix euxima and Salix alba, with which species it freely hybridizes[].
A very important food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly species[] and a good bee plant, providing an early source of nectar and pollen[].
A great number of different clones have been cultivated[].
Best if planted into its permanent position as soon as possible. The root system is rather aggressive and can cause problems with drains[].
The tree can provide construction timber by the age of 15 - 20 years; hence it is favoured for cultivation in parkland
and steppe areas of Russian and countries of the former USSR[]..
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].
Plants are very amenable to coppicing or pollarding and can be cut back annually if required[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

A saccharine exudation is obtained from the leaves and young branches[, ]. Used as a food[].

Growing in harsh and difficult environments, as many willows do (they can be found within the arctic circle, on mountains and even in the desert), Salix species have often been utilized as an emergency food source. They are, indeed, often a highly favoured food source for birds and mammals and, whilst few species would lay claim to culinary excellence for humans, the young shoots and inner bark are both edible eaten either raw or cooked[].
We have no specific information for this species, but the inner bark can be eaten fresh or it can be dried, ground into a powder and then added to cereal flour for use in making bread etc. It has a very bitter flavour, The young shoots are also somewhat bitter and not very appetizing - unless you are really hungry of course![].

Medicinal

The bark, twigs, leaves, leaf buds, and flower buds of all Salix species contain phenolic glycosides, particularly salicin and salicortin (which breaks down when the plant material is damaged to produce salicin). The quantity of these compounds can vary greatly between species, and even within geographical races of the same species. Taste is a simple test to ascertain levels of these compounds - the more bitter the flavour, the more compounds it contains[].
Salicin has several valuable medicinal properties. In particular it is an effective antiinflammatory and pain reliever, and is also a valuable febrifuge[].
Modern medicine has used salicin as a pathway to producing the common pain reliever aspirin and, until a totally synthetic pathway of producing the medicine was discovered, several Salix species were harvested on a commercial basis to obtain salicin.
Many Salix species have a history of traditional use (not always documented). All parts of the plant can be used, but the bark is more commonly employed. Their pain-relieving and antiinflammatory properties make them useful in the treatment of verious conditions including headaches, neuralgia and joint pains, whilst they can also be very helpful in the treatment of fevers[, ].
The bark of this species has been harvested commercially in the past as a source of salicyl[].

The bark of this species is used interchangeably with Salix alba. It is taken internally in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, inflammatory stages of auto-immune diseases, diarrhoea, dysentery, feverish illnesses, neuralgia and headache[].
A poultice of the bark has been applied to sores as a styptic and healing agent[]. The bark is removed during the summer and dried for later use[].

The leaves are used internally in the treatment of minor feverish illnesses and colic[].
The leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season and are used fresh or dried[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant can be grown in shelterbelts in order to give shelter. It is planted on embankments, along rivers, on sand dunes etc in order to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion[].
The plant is grown in plantations in the Western Himalaya as a biomass crop[].
The catkins are a good source of nectar for bees[, ].

Other Uses

Stems are very flexible and are used in basket making[, ].Not of top quality, they are not durable; but can be used for coarse wickerwork and as brushwood[, ]. 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 bark contains around 5 - 12% tannin[, ]. It can also be used to make a dye[].

An extract of the bark is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].

The wood is tough and withstands friction. It is used for floors, bases of carts, arches, shafts, troughs, and loghives, matches etc[, , ].
The wood is said to be superior to other willows as fuel.[]. A good quality charcoal is obtained from the wood[, ].

Propagation

This is a hybrid species and seed does not generally brred true.
Willow seed is very small and light, and has a very short viability, perhaps as little as a few days in some species. It must be surface sown as soon as it is ripe. In nature the seed only germinated in disturbed soils in an open situation. In nursery conditions, sow the seed in a tray in a moderately sunny position and keep the soil moist. Germination is usually quite rapid - prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow on until large enough to plant out. Plants generally establish better if planted out whilst quite small.
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth or older can root at almost any time of the year, though late autumn is considered best as this produces a better balance of root and stem growth the following spring[]. Plant them in a sheltered outdoor nursery bed or straight into their permanent position and give them a good weed-suppressing mulch. Most species are very easy. Plant into their permanent positions in the following autumn.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, early to mid summer in a frame. Very easy.