Salix viminalis

Origin: Europe, Asia

Botanical characteristics: It is a small tree or erect shrub, fast-growing, reaching up to 10 meters in height. Branches are greyish-green or brownish and downy, then they are smooth and shiny. It has linear dark green leaves on the upper side, with silver down beneath. Revolute leaves, whose margins are entire. It is a dioecious plant with ovoid, silvery-grey and yellow male and small green female catkins, on separated plants.

Agronomic and environmental characteristics: It is frequent in the Po Valley in northern Italy, especially on moist and flooded soils, up to 500 meters. It was frequently cultivated, not widespread in natural state.

Use: It has been cultivated using the pollarding system for a long time in the countryside, often along streams, for the production of branches for wicker. It can be used along rivers, suitable for the consolidation of river banks.