The willow is represented in countless species even here in Germany. In order to distinguish the individual willow species, it helps to take a closer look at some characteristics. With the silver willow, for example, you can use the fruit as a guide. Not only the external appearance leads to a safe identification, the time of fruit ripening is also important. Find out everything you need to know about the fruits of the white willow on this page.
The seeds of the white willow are packed like cotton
Properties at a glance
- Type of fruit: capsule fruit
- Time of fruit ripening: May to June
- Shape of infructescence: oblong
release of seeds
After the leaves have sprout in the period from April to May, the flowers of the white willow appear. These are the well-known kittens, which are cylindrical in shape and have noticeable hair. They can reach a length of up to seven centimeters. Male kittens can be recognized by their yellow color. The female flowers, on the other hand, are green at first, but later form a woolly, white coating.
Catkins are pollinated by insects. The white willow attracts bees in particular. Because the deciduous tree opens its flowers before all other native tree species, it serves as an important source of nectar for the industrious honey collectors. Later, small capsule fruits develop from the flowers, which contain a white, densely hairy seed. The seeds are ripe by July at the latest, but usually as early as June, so that the white willow can reproduce independently. It uses the wind to spread it. However, the seeds only have a short-term germination capacity.
Peculiarities of cultivated forms
In order to ideally adapt the deciduous tree to the environmental conditions, the white willow is often used to breed so-called hybrids. A special breed of this species is the well-known weeping willow. Actually, willows only have the flowers of a single sex, with the male population predominating. In the case of the weeping willow, however, it is noticeable that female catkins also appear next to the male ones.