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Common Name: Yellow Willow

General Information

Salix lasiandra is a Deciduous Tree up to 15.00 metres tall.
It has edible, medicinal and miscellaneous uses.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western N. America - Alaska to California.

Habitat

Streamsides from sea-level to moderate elevations[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	15.00 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[, ], but prefers a damp, heavy soil in a sunny position[]. Rarely thrives on chalk[].
A fast-growing but short-lived tree[].
Closely related to S. pentandra[].
The root system is rather aggressive and can cause problems with drains[].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[]. Although the flowers are produced in catkins early in the year, they are pollinated by bees and other insects rather than by the wind[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].
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[].
Young shoots - raw or cooked. They are not very palatable[].

Medicinal

The inner bark is haemostatic[]. It has been applied externally to bleeding cuts[].
A decoction of the branch tips has been used for soaking the feet and legs in the treatment of cramps[].
A decoction of the leaves has been used to treat colds and sore throats[].
A cold infusion of the charred, pulverized stems has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea[].
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[].

Other Uses

The stems are very flexible and can be used in basket making[]. The twigs have been used to make the withes for the three-rod foundation coils of baskets. The branches have been used as the warp in twined baskets and foundation in coiled baskets[]. 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 inner bark can be twisted and made into two-ply strings[, , ].
The bark has been used as a thread in basket making[].
The wood was formerly used to make charcoal, but is not utilised at the present time[].

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. Very easy. Plant into their permanent positions in the autumn.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, early summer to August in a frame. Very easy.