Grey willow

Salix cinerea

Height 5-15 m, bole up to 30 cm diameter. Deciduous. Crown is egg-shaped. May grow on several stems. Bark starts off smooth, greyish brown, turning brown with fissures. Leaves oval to lance-shaped, upperside hairy at first, dark shiny green, grey-blue underneath, 2-9 x 1-3 cm.

What habitats does it normally live in?

Western Europe. Damp areas, hedgerows.

How does it reproduce or breed?

Flowers in early spring, before leaves appear. Female catkins green, male catkins pale yellow, 2-3 cm. Fruit capsules contain silky seeds, 1 cm x 2.5 mm.

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