Salix caprea
L.
Salicaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Goat Willow
General Information
Salix caprea is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 10.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to Spain, temperate Asia and Syria.
Habitat
Woods, scrub and hedges, usually on basic soils, to 840 metres[
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating |  |
Medicinal Rating |   |
Habit | Deciduous Tree |
Height | 10.00 m |
Growth Rate | Fast |
Pollinators | Bees |
Self-fertile | No |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in most soils, including wet, ill-drained or intermittently flooded soils[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
], but prefers a damp, heavy soil in a sunny position. Grows in drier soils than any other British species of Salix[
186- Title
- Planting Native Trees and Shrubs.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beckett. G. and K.
- Publisher
- Jarrold
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants.
]. Rarely thrives on chalk[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plants are found most frequently on basic soils in the wild[
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution and exposed positions, including maritime exposure[
75- Title
- Shelter Trees and Hedges.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rosewarne experimental horticultural station.
- Publisher
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A small booklet packed with information on trees and shrubs for hedging and shelterbelts in exposed maritime areas.
,
186- Title
- Planting Native Trees and Shrubs.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beckett. G. and K.
- Publisher
- Jarrold
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants.
].
A fast growing tree, it establishes well[
75- Title
- Shelter Trees and Hedges.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rosewarne experimental horticultural station.
- Publisher
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A small booklet packed with information on trees and shrubs for hedging and shelterbelts in exposed maritime areas.
]. The tree has an untidy habit[
75- Title
- Shelter Trees and Hedges.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rosewarne experimental horticultural station.
- Publisher
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A small booklet packed with information on trees and shrubs for hedging and shelterbelts in exposed maritime areas.
].
A light demanding tree, it becomes tall and drawn when grown in woodland, though it grows well along the sunnier edges[
186- Title
- Planting Native Trees and Shrubs.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beckett. G. and K.
- Publisher
- Jarrold
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants.
].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Although the flowers are produced in catkins early in the year, they are pollinated by bees and other insects rather than by the wind[
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
].
Trees are very tolerant of cutting, they coppice well[
186- Title
- Planting Native Trees and Shrubs.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beckett. G. and K.
- Publisher
- Jarrold
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants.
].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Edible Uses
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[
172- Title
- Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Schofield. J. J.
- Publisher
- Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0882403699
- Description
- A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
].
Young shoots - raw or cooked. They are not very palatable[
172- Title
- Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Schofield. J. J.
- Publisher
- Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0882403699
- Description
- A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
].
The source of an edible manna[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. No further details.
Medicinal
The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin[
226- Title
- Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lauriault. J.
- Publisher
- Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0889025649
- Description
- Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.
], which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body[
213- Title
- Earth Medicine, Earth Food.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Weiner. M. A.
- Publisher
- Ballantine Books
- Year
- 1980
- ISBN
- 0-449-90589-6
- Description
- A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
]. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge[
226- Title
- Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lauriault. J.
- Publisher
- Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0889025649
- Description
- Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.
].
A decoction of the leaves is used in the treatment of fevers[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
A distilled water from the flowers is aphrodisiac, cordial and stimulant[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is used externally in the treatment of headaches and ophthalmia[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
The ashes of the wood are useful in the treatment of haemoptysis[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
The stems and the leaves are astringent[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
A gum and the juice of the trees are used to increase visual powers[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
Other Uses
The stems are very flexible and are used in basket making[
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
]. 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 is tough and flexible, it is used as a substitute for leather[
115- Title
- The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Johnson. C. P.
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.
].
The bark contains around 10% tannin[
223- Title
- Vegetable Tannins
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rottsieper. E.H.W.
- Publisher
- The Forestal Land, Timber and Railways Co. Ltd.
- Year
- 1946
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A fairly detailed treatise on the major sources of vegetable tannins.
].
The plant is fast growing and tolerant of maritime exposure, it can be used as a windbreak hedge and shelterbelt though it is of untidy habit[
75- Title
- Shelter Trees and Hedges.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rosewarne experimental horticultural station.
- Publisher
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A small booklet packed with information on trees and shrubs for hedging and shelterbelts in exposed maritime areas.
].
The seeds are very light and so can travel some distance in the wind. The plant is therefore able to find its way to areas such as cleared woodland where the soil has been disturbed. Seedlings will grow away quickly, even in exposed conditions and the plant will provide good shelter for the establishment of woodland plants. Thus it makes a good pioneer species and, except in wetter and moorland-type soils, will eventually be largely out-competed by the other woodland trees. Its main disadvantage as a pioneer plant is that it has an extensive root system and is quite a greedy plant, thus it will not help as much in enriching the soil for the other woodland plants as other pioneer species such as the alders, Alnus species[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Some cultivars can be grown as ground cover[
208- Title
- Plants for Ground Cover
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thomas. G. S.
- Publisher
- J. M. Dent & Sons
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-460-12609-1
- Description
- An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.
]. 'Pendula' is female whilst 'Kilmarnock' is a male, they should be spaced about 1.5 metres apart each way[
208- Title
- Plants for Ground Cover
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thomas. G. S.
- Publisher
- J. M. Dent & Sons
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-460-12609-1
- Description
- An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.
].
Wood - soft, elastic, easily split. Used for baskets, rugs etc[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
]. A good quality charcoal is made from the wood[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
].
Propagation
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, late autumn to late winter in a sheltered outdoor bed or planted straight into their permanent position and given a good weed-suppressing mulch. Cuttings of this species do not root well[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plant into their permanent positions in the autumn.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, early summer to August in a frame. Cuttings of this species do not root well[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].