Characteristic 8

Leaves with an unmistakable very bitter taste 

-> Attention, because of the occasional occurrence of fox tapeworm, taste leaves hanging at least 1.50 m above the ground. (This is why Salix repens - Creeping willow is not mentioned here. The leaves also have a bitter taste. See 5a, 5b and 5c.)

8 Leaves and twigs glabrous; bark inside yellow; leaves occasionally, and especially at twig tops, quasi-opposite; leaves often blackening on desiccation. 

► 8a 

8a Leaves intermediate between inversely ovate and spatulate; widest leaf width distinctly above centre; leaves of rapidly growing annual twigs often longer with more parallel margins; leaf margin usually smooth-edged below but often very finely toothed at leaf apex.

► Salix purpurea ssp. lambertiana   

Crosses between the two species (8a and 8b) are possible. There are also many cultivated varieties where differences in characteristics are possible. 

8b Leaves narrow, linear-elongated, smooth-edged to nearly smooth-edged but the top usually finely toothed; with more or less parallel margins. 

► Salix purpurea ssp. purpurea   

Crosses between the two species (8a and 8b) are possible. Also, there are many cultivated varieties where differences in characteristics are possible. 

8c Small narrow leaves, (11)-15-18-20-22-(40) mm L, 4-5-7 mm W; petiole 2-5 mm L and reddened, leaf shape linear, greatest width above middle, white median vein at top, leaf margin red-clipped, pointed tip, wedge-shaped leaf base, underside blue-washed; few opposite; young twigs reddened on sun side; older twigs greyish brown; no striae but a few dots. 

► Salix purpurea 'Nana' 

8d Leaves at first still hairy but towards summer balding or weakly hairy on both sides; 4-13 cm L, 6-15 mm W; leaf margin flat or slightly recurved; weakly toothed to entire; sometimes fine toothed at apex; widest width above middle; twigs rounded, never flattened; characteristics dependent on parent plant either S. purpurea or S. viminalis; large group of cultivated varieties that may differ somewhat. 

► Salix x rubra (S. purpurea x S. viminalis) 

8e Leaf has greatest width at one-third of apex; 6-13 cm L; 12-28 mm W; with magnifying glass hairs visible on underside of leaf; smooth leaf margin in lower third, finely toothed in upper two thirds; leaves turn black on withering; stipules inconspicuous and falling off early, sometimes absent; the debarked brown twigs are yellowish; twigs are upright to erect; 2-4 m H. 

► Salix x leiophylla (S. purpurea x S. triandra) 

8f Leaves oblong-elliptic or inversely ovate; 4-7 cm L, 1.5-2.5 cm W; upper surface of leaves first pale downy, soon glabrous and glossy green; lower surface ash-grey and slightly downy or glabrous with some hairs on the veins; bitter taste; leaf tip sharp or pointed; leaf margin irregular and sharply serrate with glandular teeth, or somewhat entire; nervature often rather conspicuous and reticulate; short petiole rarely > 5mm L; stipule narrowly ear-shaped, sharp, with glandular teeth in on the margin, falling off or absent; weak twigs, at first slightly downy soon glabrous and glossy red-brown; single mouldings 4 to 7 mm long; branched shrub up to 5 m H. 

► Salix x dichroa ( S. aurita x S. purpurea) 

8g Many branched glabrous, rather shiny reddish-brown twigs; leaves at first densely silky but soon glabrous; above bright green sheen, underside distinct sea-green haze; some leaves opposite; leaves turn black on desiccation; leaves oblong 2-4 cm L, 0.5-1.3 cm W, with abruptly sharp or almost tipped apex; leaf margin serrate or somewhat smooth and narrowly recurved; petioles very short or almost absent; rarely stipules. Stamens usually Y-shaped. 

► Salix x doniana (S. purpurea x S. repens) 

8h Striking white-green leaves; leaf lanceolate; 4.2-6 cm L; 0.6-1.6 cm W; widest width about in middle; remarkable hue of white and green; short petiole to sessile leaf; most leaves opposite; leaf margin usually curled; annual twigs reddened along the sun-side; leaves with bitter taste; small tree, usually grafted on trunk of other willow species. 

► Salix integra var. hakuro-nishiki (see also Appendix 3: the wild form) 

8i Leaf longlot up to 24 cm L and up to 3.5 cm W, petiole 7-38 mm L; leaves on lateral twigs 7-11 cm L, 11-20 mm W; leaf margin short shoot entire margin to very slightly corrugated-crenate; on leaves of long shoot the lower half of the leaf is entire margin to corrugated, the upper half of the leaf is often toothed-serrated; leaf margin is flat to slightly downcurved; upper surface of leaf bright green, underside conspicuously blue-green; upper surface of leaf a few scattered hairs, underside of leaf initially downy hairy but soon almost glabrous; stipule large and conspicuously dagger-shaped, especially on leaves of long shoots, about 20 mm L and 2-3 mm W. Only male plants. Striking catkins: pink lower half of the catkin scale and brown-black upper half with the yellow stamens.

Still: often weeping twigs, prominent lenticels and branches that break off easily.

► Salix miyabeana (earlier: 'Schmidt stem 65')

8j Resembles purpurea but has broader leaves. Shrubs up to 3 m tall; bark greyish green. Twigs yellowish or reddish, glabrous, shiny. Buds yellowish brown to reddish, ovate, glabrous, sharp tip, resting against the twig. Leaves slightly opposite or opposite, sometimes in whorls of 3 on long shoot; short petiole or almost unstemmed, sometimes somewhat encrusting; leaf elliptic-elongated, 2-5 x 1-2 cm; upper and lower surface pale green, glabrous, base rounded or obtuse, leaf margin flawless or sharply toothed towards apex; apex shortly pointed; distinct central vein, light brown, reddish-brown when not yet mature. Catkins appear before leaves. Catkins 1-2 (-2.5) cm, with petals at base; bracts brown to almost black, inverted ovoid, downy, rarely glabrous. Male flower: 2 fused stamens, glabrous; anthers red to dull red. Female flower: stigma long ovoid, downy, almost unstemmed; short style; stigma red, 2-4-lobed. Box fruit 2-3 mm, hairy. Blooms from May to June.

► Salix amplexicaulis