Reproduction of the Violet Willow
Reproduction of the Violet Willow
The violet willow (Salix daphnoides Vill.) is a shrubby plant with Eurasian distribution.
Suitable breeding habitat –
Salix daphnoides is a plant widespread throughout central Europe between the Baltic states and Piedmont, and from the Balkans to eastern France.
In Italy it is present throughout the northern area.
The plant is native to an area that includes the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Carpathians, but has been naturalized by cultivation in a much wider area. It grows and develops at altitudes of 100-2,000 metres.
Its habitat is that of the banks of water courses and in their frequently dry beds, together above all with S. eleagnos, preferably on calcareous alluvial soils with a gravelly to sandy-silty texture subject to periodic submergence; sometimes it also lives on moraines and humid cones.
Propagation –
Salix daphnoides is a plant that grows in the form of a deciduous shrub or even a tree with an erect and vigorous habit; it can grow up to 15 meters in height. The trunk can have a diameter of 20 cm.
This willow is often grown as an ornamental plant, in soil stabilization projects, for medicinal use, etc., the plant has often escaped cultivation in some areas and become naturalised.
It is a very cold hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°C when fully dormant.
Like other willows, it requires a position in spacious areas and suffers from dryness.
It grows well in moist but well drained soils as long as they are deep enough while it is not very suitable for calcareous soils.
It is a very ornamental and fast growing plant.
It is also advisable not to plant this species within 10 meters of buildings.
Propagation is by both seed and cuttings.
The seed has a very short vitality of a few days and must be sown on the surface as soon as it is ripe. it is advisable to sow in a seedbed in a moderately sunny position, keeping the soil moist. Germination is usually quite rapid. When the seedlings become sized to be handled, they should be placed in individual pots and transplanted soon enough to avoid rooting difficulties.
In the propagation by cutting, this must be taken from mature wood of the current year’s growth; those taken from more mature wood can root at almost any time of the year, although the late autumn period is considered the best as it produces a better balance of root and stem growth the following spring.
However, these cuttings must be placed in a sheltered nursery outdoors or directly in the open field, taking care to mulch the base of the plant.
Semi-mature wood cuttings can also be prepared, in the period from early to mid-summer.
Ecology –
The violet willow grows in nature above all on mountain river banks or in river scrub in alpine areas on alluvial, sandy, gravelly and stony soils, often together with Salix elaeagnos and Myricaria germanica.
It also sometimes grows at lower elevations, on lowlands, along large rivers, and is also found on sand dunes.
This plant is planted in agroforestry programs to reinforce coastal and continental sand dunes, but is also widely planted as an ornamental species in parks and roadsides.
Salix daphnoides has a wide distribution, is found in a number of protected areas and is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a threatened category. However, it is concerning that the species is classified as endangered in various national red lists and research is needed into the causes of this decline and adequate measures to prevent it. The plant is classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
As in all willows, the bark and leaves contain the glycoside salicin, which makes them toxic to many animals, and from which salicylic acid is obtained.