white willow
Salix alba
The bark contains salicin, a chemical compound that served as the ancient precursor to modern aspirin.
- Scientific name
- Salix alba
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Malpighiales › Salicaceae › Salix
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Riparian zones, riverbanks, lake margins, and damp floodplains.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide).
- Range
- Europe, Western Asia, Central Asia, North Africa
- Size
- Height up to 25m; trunk diameter up to 1m.
- Lifespan
- 40 to 60 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- River channelization, drainage of wetlands, and displacement by invasive species.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and safe to approach. Be cautious when standing beneath mature trees during high winds, as they are known for 'dropping' heavy, brittle branches. Do not ingest bark without expert knowledge.
Salix alba ( white willow ) is a species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia. The name derives from the white tone to the undersides of the leaves.
Photo: Andreas Rockstein, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/0602ce22-1fd3-48e7-a545-9e5cc537bc0c.md