Goat willow Salix caprea

Features

Tree - deciduous. It grows up to 25 m high and up to 60 cm in diameter.

Species	Trees (Macrofanerophytes)
Living space	Rivers, Streams
Size	up to 25 m

Description

It has a broad, irregular and bright crown and thick, upright branches. The root system is strong. It develops a deep main and many lateral roots. The bark is greenish gray and smooth, up to 2 cm thick on older trunks and shallowly longitudinally cracked. Shoots are strong, olive green to reddish. The buds are pointed ovate, large, 5-8 mm long, yellow to reddish and covered with a single scaly leaf. Alternately placed leaves are simple, mostly elliptical, 6-12 cm long, 3-6 cm wide, widest in the middle of the leaf. The leaf margin is wavy, sawn and serrated, the stalk is 8-20 mm long. It blooms in early spring with yellowish-green catkins. It thrives on very bright sites. It is a very modest species. It grows best on deep, fertile and fresh to moist, permeable soils, but it also tolerates poor, shallow and not too dry habitats on all types of rootstocks very well. It tolerates the most drought among willows, but also occasionally stagnant water and flooding. Its heat needs are very small, it is very resistant to low winter temperatures and frost.