Willows are fast-growing deciduous trees of the genus Salix. Mostly native to the temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere, they grow in regions with moist soils but are adaptable to almost any soil conditions.
Valued as shade trees, willows are also prized for erosion control and timber production. Historically, their bark was used as a pain remedy and, indeed, it contains compounds similar to aspirin.
The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is probably one of the most recognisable of the species, quite unmistakable with its characteristic graceful, pendulous branches, short trunk, broad rounded crown and thin narrow leaves, often with paler undersides.
One of the most amazing properties of willows is their capacity for growth. A broken willow branch left in water will grow roots very quickly. Even thick pieces of the willow trunk…
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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue #14.1