Willows are a large genus of deciduous trees and shrubs, one of the most common in the Northern Hemisphere. Their range extends from subarctic territories, includes the entire temperate zone of Europe and Asia, reaching the subtropics. Several breeds are found in North America. In Russia, willows have several names: rockets, willows, sails, talnik. These are relic plants. Some species existed on the planet in the pre-Ice Age.
Botanical Description
Even within the same species, willow, depending on the conditions, can grow in the form of a densely branched shrub or tall powerful tree. In the polar regions there are dwarf forms.
Preferred habitats:
- wet lowlands
- beams
- ravines
- banks of water bodies
- plains and mountain slopes.
Pure willow stands are called willows. Shrubbery - with sheds or talniks.
The bark of young shoots is smooth, olive green, silver, gray or purple.. Old trees have a dark gray or brown, covered with deep longitudinal cracks in the lower part of the trunks. The crowns are spreading, wide, ovoid, tent-shaped or weeping. The branches are flexible and long.
The leaves are opposite, simple petiolate, narrow, up to 15 cm long, with pointed tips. In some species - with stipules. The edges of the plates are solid or serrated. The shade of foliage is dark green, bluish-green, greenish-silver. The kidneys are pointed, 4-6 mm in size, brown, grayish or brown. Flowers are dioecious, small, yellowish, white or light gray in color, collected in fluffy short spherical or carpal earrings. In some species, they bloom long before leaves appear, while others bloom quite late: in May or early summer.
Fruits - dry bivalves with numerous small seeds.
Willows easily and quickly develop from seeds that have fallen into muddy moist soils. Almost all types of plants are wind resistant, are characterized by rapid growth, master any soil composition. Trees live up to 100-150 years.
Application
Different types of willows are used for landscaping. Unlike most other trees, they tolerate waterlogged or swampy soils well, rarely get sick. Flexible wood is used as ornamental material.
In landscape design
Weeping willows are planted along the shores of garden and park ponds. Their picturesquely flowing branches relating to water create a calming mood and comfort. The powerful root system of plants drains and strengthens crumbling soils. Bushes and trees that develop on rough terrain are not only beautiful, but also useful. Large trees in small areas are grown singly, shrub forms are used as hedges.
Wood
The willow wood is soft, medium-drying. The light pink core differs little from sapwood in color and texture. The layers are even, the material itself is equally dense, with an inexpressive, barely noticeable pattern. Technical willow resembles linden or poplar. It lends itself to all types of machining: it easily bends, cuts, and is saturated with paints. Moisture and biostability this wood does not differ, is deformed and rots quickly.
In the woodworking industry, the popularity of willow is growing due to the demand for glued and other combined building materials. It is used as a filler in the manufacture of panels and panels, as a raw material for cellulose, biofuel, matches. Packing boxes are knocked together from the boards. In areas where there are few forests, willow erected temporary housing, courtyard buildings.
Flexible willow twigs and bast fibers are used to make wicker furniture, baskets, decorative dishes, and various decorative elements.
Ethnoscience
It is known that salicylic acid was first obtained from willow bark. In addition to this compound, leaves, roots and other parts of the plant contain lignins, tannins, tannins and other pharmacologically active substances. The infusion of bark and young shoots of the tree has a pronounced antipyretic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic effect, relieves headaches and rheumatic pains, stops bleeding.
Kinds
In total, there are more than 350 varieties of plants. The most common of them grow in the wild, are used as ornamental crops.
White
Other names: silver willow, sail. The most unpretentious species, grows in ravines, gullies, near rivers, ponds and swamps. Mature trees reach a height of 12–18 m. Shrubby forms often develop from seeds.. The bark is dark olive, openwork crowns, grayish-green foliage, with a silvery sheen. Winds are frost-resistant, shade-tolerant, after damage and felling, it is quickly restored by basal shoots. Weeping willow is a variety of white, with dense saggy branches up to 3 m long.
Breaking
It is more often called rakita. Spreading multi-trunked tree up to 7 m tall with a thick domed or spherical crown. The leaves are dark green, elongated, 5–8 cm long. Decorative, moisture-loving and photophilous look. In severe frosts, young shoots easily freeze, but damaged trunks quickly overgrow over the summer. Used as hedges.
Goat
A low decorative tree with a weeping crown. The branches fall down in the form of vertical cascades, the lower ones touch the ground, almost completely hiding the trunk. The view is used for planting on the banks of domestic ponds or creating garden compositions.
Twisty
It attracts the eye with long brownish-red shoots twisted in a spiral. The foliage is bright green, curved curved. Trees grow up to 3-4 m. Frost resistance of the species is average, in severe winters the shoots freeze. In the midland, seedlings require shelter until spring.
Purple
Medium-tall shrub with a wide spherical crown. The shoots are brown-red, the leaves are bluish-green, pointed. Shade-tolerant decorative appearance, planted in gardens or as hedges. It is frost-resistant.
Caspian
A densely branched shrub about 2-3 m high with yellow shoots and light olive narrow hard foliage. Crown spherical, openwork. Frost resistance of the species is average.
Growing
Willows can grow on any soil. Most of them calmly tolerate close occurrence of groundwater, regular waterlogging. For them, it is recommended to choose well-lit places. In the shade, the trees will not die, but will grow more slowly, and their crowns will not gain enough green mass. The best seedlings are those that have reached the age of two years, with mature lignified shoots and developed roots. Instances with a closed root system are faster accepted at a new place. The material with open roots before planting is placed in a bag of wet sand or with a mixture of soil and peat, and kept in a dark, cool place.
Landing
For willow, sandy loamy soils or light loams are preferred. Clay soils are also suitable. Landing is carried out in September or April.
- For each seedling they dig a hole. If you plan to grow bushes or small trees, the depth and width of the holes should be about 40 cm. For large plants - about 60 cm. When group planting, the distance between them should be from 2.5 to 4 m, depending on the size of the crowns of adult varieties. When planting hedges, it is recommended to dig a continuous trench 40-50 cm deep and wide.
- Peat and compost are added to the excavated soil. If the clay soil is river sand. You can make any mineral fertilizer.
- To a quarter of the depth, the pits are covered with this mixture and seedlings are placed in them. The root necks are located at the same level with the soil surface. It is recommended to dig in nearby support pegs to which to tie up young plants.
- The soil is tightly compacted.
- Immediately after planting, seedlings are abundantly watered: at least 15 liters of water per instance.
If the work is carried out in the fall, existing leaves must be cut off from the willow branches, otherwise the trees may suffer with the onset of cold weather.
Care
In the first three years after planting, willow must be regularly watered throughout the growing season: from April to October. In dry weather, this must be done every week, pouring 15-30 liters of water under one root, depending on the variety and size of the tree. If it rains enough, you can moisten the plantings additionally 2 times a month. So that the soil beneath them does not dry out longer, it is advisable to mulch the stem circles with wood shavings or peat.
Several times a season, usually twice or thrice, organic and mineral dressings are added to the soil: rotted manure, humus, superphosphate, potassium sulfate. If the soil is fertile, you can do without additional fertilizer or feed trees less often.
Decorative species that are not common in the nature of the temperate zone should be insulated for the winter. The soil around the roots of the plants is covered with a thick layer of leaves, and the crowns are covered with a thin burlap.
Pruning
Sanitary pruning of trees is carried out in early spring, as soon as severe frosts leave. All frozen and dried branches are removed. In early summer, you can begin to form a haircut. Weeping varieties are usually grown as standard crops, leaving approximately ½ of the trunks bare. Young shoots can be shortened by ½ length, over the summer they grow back. A hedge is trimmed twice a season: in June and autumn. Crowns cannot be trimmed during the flowering period.
Breeding
Wild willow is easily reproduced by self-sowing. If the material carried by the wind crumbles onto dry soil, it will soon die. Seed germination is lost very quickly. If they get into a humid environment, for example, into swampy soil, they germinate almost immediately.
In a culture, willow is propagated by cuttings.. For this, lignified biennial shoots are used: their middle or butt part. The rods are cut into pieces 25-40 cm long with several growth buds. All available leaves are removed. The lower sections are made oblique: at an angle of 45 °. Rooted cuttings in greenhouses - boxes with a mixture of garden soil and peat. Planted to a depth of 5-7 cm, moisturize daily. Contain at a temperature of 15–18 ° C. It is necessary to grow material throughout the year. It is transferred to the open ground next spring.
Varietal specimens are often propagated by vaccination.
Pests and diseases
In rainy cold weather, the leaves of the willow may become covered with gray or black spots. To get rid of plaque, crowns are treated with copper-containing preparations. Sometimes the reverse side of leaves and young shoots are covered with specks of rust, relief plaques of growths. Heavily damaged areas are recommended to be cut and destroyed. For the prevention of diseases, bushes and trees should be sprayed with fungicides: Fundazole, Topaz.
Of the willow pests, the flower fly, the caterpillar leafworms, the willow aphid, the spider mite. The roots of young seedlings and cuttings can eat mouse. The vital activity of the parasites is the drying of the shoots, perforated foliage, sticky coating, white or brown spots on it. To control insects, insecticides are used: Actellik, Karbofos, Decis. Caterpillars must be wiped off the branches manually. Rodents need to put poisoned bait, build traps.
Additionally, you can use natural remedies: sprinkle foliage with tobacco dust, charcoal powder, spray with infusions of soda or garlic.