Salix gilgiana
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Salix genus in the family Salicaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Salicaceae
- Genus
- Salix
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Growth rate
- vigorous
- Fertility
- Self sterile, Bees
- Flower type
- dioecious
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Inner bark - raw or cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and then added to cereal flour for use in making bread etc. A very bitter flavour, it is a famine food that is only used when all else fails[3]. Young shoots - raw or cooked. They are not very palatable[3]. A tea is made from the leaves[4].
- Plant part
- Inner bark
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Product or use
- Tea
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin[8], which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body[7]. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge[8].
- Product or use
- Anodyne
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The stems are very tough and flexible and are occasionally used in basket making[5]. The plant is usually coppiced annually when grown for basket making, though it is possible to coppice it every two years if thick poles are required as uprights.
- Product or use
- Basketry
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - Japan.
- Habitat
- Not known
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- high
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - must be surface sown as soon as it is ripe in late spring. It has a very short viability, perhaps as little as a few days. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, November to February in a sheltered outdoor bed or planted straight into their permanent position and given a good weed-suppressing mulch. Very easy. Plant into their permanent positions in the autumn. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, June to August in a frame. Very easy.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in most soils, including wet, ill-drained or intermittently flooded soils[1][2], but prefers a damp, heavy soil in a sunny position[6]. Rarely thrives on chalk[6]. A fast growing plant[5]. Closely related to S. purpurea[2]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[6]. Although the flowers are produced in catkins early in the year, they are pollinated by bees and other insects rather than by the wind[2]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[6]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Newsholme. C. Willows - The Genus Salix. Batsford 1992-00-00 ISBN 0713468815
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0889025649
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00