Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Salix fragilis; 'Crack willow'


Salix fragilis is a common native species and prefers damp soils and because of this they are often found lowland woodlands, by the edges of water such as canals and long river banks.Is a shrubby plant with a domed crown, the branches are dense and matted coming from very near the base of the trunk.  The leaves are long, thin and glossy with toothed edges.


An interesting fact about Crack-willow is that if its brittle twigs break of and lodge itself in soil it can grow into a new plant. Willow whips have started to be used to create living structures, used as securing soils and supporting river beds.


Crack willow has been used and found beneficial in the use of Phytoremediation, this means that planting of this plant in polluted wetland areas could be a cheaper and more naturalistic way of cleaning polluted river banks or wet areas.


This crack willow was found in the Umist Campus near Piccadilly station. These trees are looking in great condition, tall and strong. This could be due to the good tree bed they were growing in, it looked very larger for the crack willow. With small low lying grasses shrubs and ivy which isn’t constricting growth.



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