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Salix hookeriana

Common name: Dune Willow Family: Salicaceae
Author: Barratt. Botanical references: 11, 82, 200
Synonyms:  
Known Hazards: None known
Range: Western N. America - Alaska to California.
Habitat: Borders of salt marshes and ponds, also on sandy coastal dunes[82]. Streams, ponds and sloughs near the shore[229].
Edibility Rating (1-5): 1Medicinal Rating (1-5):2

Other Possible Synonyms:From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
S. amplifolia[B,P] S. barclayi[B,G,P] S. barclayi var. angustifolia[B,P] S. barclayi var. conjuncta[B,P] S. conjuncta[B,P] S. hookeriana var. laurifolia[B,P] S. hookeriana var. tomentosa[B,P] S. hoyeriana[B,P] S. piperi[B,G,P] S. pyrolifolia var. hoyeriana[B,P] S. regelii[B,P]
Other Common Names:From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
Barclay's Willow [B,P], Coastal Willow [B], Dune Willow [P],
Systematics:From a USDA Plants Database
Order: Salicales. Willow family
Noxious, Invasive and Injurious WeedsFrom USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia , DEFRA Injurious Weeds
Listed as noxious/invasive for: New South Wales.

Physical Characteristics

A decidious shrub growing to 1m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen in June. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils and can grow in saline soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.

Edible Uses

Inner bark Leaves.

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[172].
Young shoots - raw or cooked. They are not very palatable[172]. The leaves have been used as a flavouring in cooked foods[257].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Anodyne Antidote Febrifuge.

The leaves have been used as an antidote to shellfish poisoning[257].
The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin[226], which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body[213]. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge[226].

Other Uses

Basketry Fibre Hair Miscellany Wood.

Stems are very flexible and are used in basket making[61, 118]. 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.
The bark has been used extensively in basket making[257].
Fibres from the inner bark can be twisted into long ropes[226].
The soft roots have been used as a towel to rub down after bathing[257].
An infusion of the roots has been used as a hair wash[257].
Wood - light, soft, close grained[82].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils, including wet, ill-drained or intermittently flooded soils[1, 11], but prefers a damp, heavy soil in a sunny position[200]. Rarely thrives on chalk[200]. Tolerates maritime exposure[11, 200].
A fast-growing but short-lived species[229].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200]. Although the flowers are produced in catkins early in the year, they are pollinated by bees and other insects rather than by the wind[11].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

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.

Suppliers

Plants For A Future is working with the following groups to try and make these plants easily available. Parts of the proceeds will be donated to   so please mention us when ordering.

Wildwood Nurseries
Lower Manor Cottage
Thornbury
Holsworthy
Devon
EX22 7DD
Email: lorna@macace.co.uk
Phone 01409 261324 Fax 01409 261324
Distribution: UK
How to order: Direct from Wildwood by email/phone
Last Updated: March 03
Item: Salix satsika (twisted willow)

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

References for Salix barclayi (a possible synonym).

References for the family Salicaceae.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.

[118] Gunther. E. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press 1981 ISBN 0-295-95258-X
A small book, it is a good guide to useful plants in Western N. America.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

[226] Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989 ISBN 0889025649
Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.

[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.


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