Salix viminalis × S. aurita (S.
× fruticosa Döll), Shrubby Osier
Account Summary
Introduced, archaeophyte, deliberately planted, but may also occur spontaneously, very rare either way.
July 1947; MCM & D; laneway hedgerow near Tattycam Lough, in the SE of the VC.
This is another shrubby, sallow-osier hybrid, this time combining the distinctive leaf characters of two willow species of very different appearance. Meikle (1984) considers S. × fruticosa to be a purely native and spontaneous hybrid in Ireland, the result of crossing between introduced clones of the basket-cane S. viminalis (Osier) and the native S. aurita (Eared Willow). Crossing would not be easily achieved, however, since the parent species have very different flowering periods. Meikle (1984) commented that this is an uncommon but widely scattered hybrid in B & I, perhaps more frequent than might be expected in view of the significant difference between the normal flowering periods of the two parents (S. aurita – March and April, S. viminalis – April and May), giving them just one month of overlap. As is the case with several willow hybrids, sometimes progeny of one sex only are produced: in this instance only female plants occur in B & I.
Fermanagh occurrence
Until recently, we had only one record for this plant in the Fermanagh Flora Database, made by Meikle and his co-workers during their regular July visit, on this occasion as long ago as 1947. Then RHN and HJN made two additional records as follows: roadside hedge S of Clonelty, 15 September 2010; and hedge beside stream opposite old house Tullygarry, near Meenatully, 4 October 2010. In both these cases, the hybrid was growing with both parents and was obviously intermediate. Voucher specimens were collected.
British and Irish occurrence
There are a total of 74 hectads with records plotted in the New Atlas map which shows S. × fruticosa very widely but also very thinly scattered across Britain, with a just discernable western tendency in the albeit rare presence of this hybrid. In Ireland, the 30 plotted hectads form three discrete clusters dispersed across the island. The most prominent of these groups lies within NI, although here it is chiefly in Tyrone (H36). There are two discrete hectad clusters in the RoI, in the Midlands (Longford-Roscommon (H24 & H25) and possibly also on the borders of the adjoining VCs), and further SW in Limerick (H8).
The widely scattered distribution of this uncommon hybrid throughout these islands which Meikle (1984) predicted in his Willows and Poplars Handbook, does exist, but it remains a rather rare plant. Willows are not long-lived plants and although hybrids possess extra vigour in comparison with species, even these will tend to die out through shading by taller trees and shrubs, unless light levels are maintained by active management of the hedges and thickets it frequents.
The present day B & I distribution of S. × fruticosa probably owes more to recent and continuing experimental plantation of selected clones for biomass production, as it does to the appearance of naturally occurring hybrids, or to the long-term survival from old basket-cane plantations. Undoubtedly S. × fruticosa is just as under-recorded as all other willow hybrids, which always needs to be borne in mind when making any such comment.
Threats
None.