Salix pentandra L., Bay Willow
Account Summary
Native, common and widespread. Eurosiberian boreo-temperate, but widely planted and naturalised beyond its native range, including in eastern N America.
1836; Mackay, J.T.; Florencecourt.
April to November.
Growth form and biology
The oval, glossy, bright or dark green, leathery leaves of this species, its young branches reddish-brown, glossy and shining as if varnished and highly polished are very distinctive features, and once identified are easily recognised in future. This large shrub or smallish dioecious tree deserves its English common name 'Bay Willow', since the resemblance to Laurus nobilis, the culinary Bay Tree, is real, even down to the fact that its twigs and crushed leaves are fragrant, although not spicy like the true culinary Bay. In more northerly regions (eg Scandinavia), the leaves make a suitable kitchen substitute for the less hardy Mediterranean leaf (Newsholme 1992).
Catkins are produced along with the leaves around late May or June, which is considerably later than other willows. Both male and female catkins produce nectar and attract bees and other insects. Male catkins also produce copious amounts of conspicuous yellow pollen which the insects transfer to the female catkins. Some wind pollination may also occur. Seeds are shed in late autumn or winter, and they germinate in the spring after a period of overwinter dormancy (Jonsell et al. 2000).
Fermanagh occurrence and preferred habitats
Bay Willow is common and widespread in Fermanagh, being recorded in 192 tetrads, 36.4% of those in the VC. It is, in fact, the fourth most frequently found willow in the county after the three native sallows, in their order of commonness, S. cinerea subsp. oleifolia (Rusty Willow), S. aurita (Eared Willow) and S. caprea (Goat Willow). However, it is not quite so widespread in the area as the introduced S. viminalis (Osier).
Bay Willow chiefly grows in a wide variety of damp to wet ground habitats, and it seems fairly indifferent to soil reaction. It is perhaps slightly better grown on calcareous soils in the area, although it is definitely not more frequent on them. While Bay Willow can and does occur on acidic moss peat, eg on the margins of raised bogs or on rather drier cut-over bog surfaces, in such situations it is often very obviously associated with flushing conditions associated with springs and surface drainage. Movement of water at the roots would certainly alleviate the otherwise very poor mineral nutrition in bogland sites. If anything, S. pentandra is rather more frequent on higher ground than the other willows in the county.
Apart from mainly occupying ground near water like other willows do, S. pentandra is also found in drier situations along roadsides, and also quite frequently in neglected ground, eg in at least six disused quarries and sand-pits in Fermanagh. It also invades waste ground in several Fermanagh villages and towns, as well as in or near a few rural churchyards.
Irish occurrence
The New Atlas hectad map shows that in Ireland S. pentandra occurs much more frequently in the northern half of the island (especially throughout NI), becoming increasingly scarce and more probably introduced southwards to S Kerry (H1).
British occurrence
In Britain, S. pentandra is most frequent and is regarded as indigenous in middle latitudes, from Staffordshire north to the Great Glen in Scotland. Beyond this section of the country to both north and south, it gradually becomes scarce, coastal and more obviously introduced (Preston et al. 2002). The absence of the species from much of N Scotland is very puzzling, especially seeing that it is so very widespread in Scandinavia, where it can reach above the timberline as a shrub (Jalas & Suominen 1976, Map 201; Jonsell et al. 2000, Map p. 123).
Since male plants bear large numbers of very beautiful, cylindrical, golden-yellow catkins in late May, they induce people to plant it purely for this ornamental feature. Despite its decorative use, there appear to be no named cultivars (Griffiths 1994). As a result it is difficult or impossible to discern the true native distribution of the species on these islands.
European and world occurrence
S. pentandra s.s. originally occurred in Europe and W Asia. Today, it is widespread in N & C Europe and western parts of Central Asia, although absent from the Iberian peninsula and almost all of the Mediterranean basin (Meikle 1984; Hultén & Fries 1986, Map 589). It is also introduced in eastern N America.
Hybrids
These occur with S. alba and S. fragilis and a triple hybrid involving all three species. All of the hybrids are of garden origin, although those with S. alba and the triple hybrid can also occur spontaneously (Meikle 1984).
Threats
None.