Salix cinerea

Asch willow ( Salix cinerea)

The ash- willow ( Salix cinerea ), also called gray willow, is a species of the genus of the willows ( Salix) within the family of the willow family ( Salicaceae ).

Description

The ash- willow grows as a deciduous shrub that plant height usually 2-4, rarely up to 6 meters reached. He has sparrig protruding branches. Detached specimens show a characteristic hemispherical shape where the type can already be seen from afar. The bark of young branches is hairy, cinnamon and short velvety. The gray, smooth bark is penetrated by brown Korkwarzen. The "bare wood " of the two - to four-year branches has significant, several inches long welts. The strikingly large bud scales are never red or red-brown (to differentiate with similar species). Both the German common name and the scientific name refer to the on a relatively dense hairs ( trichomes ) attributable " gray " green appearance, that catches the eye, especially in spring after the leaves. The alternate arranged on the branches leaves are stalked. The simple leaf blade is elliptic at a length of 5 to 9 cm to obovate with narrowed Spreitenbasis and short, mostly straight tip. The leaf margin is serrated. The upper leaf surface has slightly sunken veins and the blue- green, dense fluffy hairy lower leaf surface has clearly visible veins. Stipules are usually present.

The ash- willow is a dioecious plant getrenntgeschlechtige ( dioecious ). The flowering time is in March and April, the inflorescences appear before the leaves emerge as typical catkins. The kittens are up to 5 cm long. The bracts are two-colored, bearded and densely hairy. The stamens are hairy at their base. The long -stalked ovary is hairy. Pollination is by insects. Due to the early heyday, the Aschweide is an important bee forage for bumblebees, honeybees and wild bees.

The gray- green capsule fruit ripens in early May and already jumps back with curved flaps. The seeds are spread by the wind ( Meteorochorie ).

In wetlands Asch - willow scrub fall already from a distance through the gray-green color and a dense, often almost hemispherical growth on.

Ecology

The ash- willow usually grows only shrubby. In waterlogged soils, it is a pioneer plant. The way it stands to stand long with " foot " in the water. Therefore, it penetrates towards the water in the siltation zones farthest. For lack of maintenance of wetlands, they can overgrow the species-rich Vorvegetation and is then correspondingly undesirable. Add drained swamp meadows show the remaining ash- willow that here again there was a greater diversity of species.

Occurrence

The natural range of ash- willow is in Europe and western Siberia.

The ash- willow grows preferably on wet meadows, swamps, bogs, at standing and slowly flowing waters and in ditches, on sandy and clay soils.

Others

The Asch Willow comes mostly against natural plantings are rare due to the low usage compared to other willow species. For this reason it has been used for scientific studies on gender ecology of pastures. The ratio of female to male specimens is 2:1.

The ash- willow ( Salix cinerea) bastardized often with other early - blooming, closely related species, such as the ear - willow ( Salix aurita ), the goat willow (Salix caprea ) and the basket willow ( Salix viminalis ).

More images

Female catkins with honey bee

Male catkins with pollen -collecting honey bee

Male flowers with in the type often occurring reddish bracts in kittens

Fruit stand in late April (still the fruit capsules are closed)

Dehiscent capsule fruit with seeds and flying hair

Branches with top and bottom of the alternate, stalked leaves

Swell

• Grey willow ( Salix cinerea). In: FloraWeb.de. ( Description section )
• R. Duell / H. Kutzelnigg: Pocket Dictionary of Plants in Germany. 7th edition, Quelle & Meyer Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-494-01424-1
• Margot Spohn / Marianne Golte - Bechtle: What flowers there? Encyclopedia, Kosmos Verlag, 2005