Description
One of the world s largest willows when mature, black willow is so-named for its dark ebony bark.
Black Willow is a common tree that is found in every county of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native.
Habitats include bottomland woodlands that are prone to regular flooding, swamps, riverbanks and low areas along rivers, borders of lakes, gravelly seeps, and seasonal wetlands that dry out during the summer.Plant Specifications
Common Name | Ceylon Homalium, Kalladamba, liyan, mukki,Salix nigra |
Maximum Reachable Height | 30.00 to 60.00 feet |
Flower Colour | black willow |
Bloom Time | March to April |
Difficulty Level | easy to grow |
Black willow care
Black Willow prefers full or partial sun and wet to moist conditions. This tree adapts readily to a wide range of soil types, but it is more typical of heavy soil containing some clay or gravel, rather than sand. Black Willow grows rapidly, but it is rather short-lived. Because of its soft wood, this tree is prone to storm damage, and its widely spreading roots can clog water and sewer lines.
Sunlight | Full sun to part shade |
Watering | Medium to wet |
Soil | well-drained soil |
Temperature | freezing |
Fertilizer | Apply any organic fertilizer |
Black willow special feature
Birds eat the catkins, and other animals eat the bark and twigs. It is well-adapted to streamsides and is planted to reduce erosion.
Black willow uses
Ornamental Use:
- Black willow provides some of the only economically important wood in the willow genus (Salix)
- The light but sturdy wood was once used for making artificial limbs, and is still used for fashioning boxes and making pulp
Medicinal Use:
- It can be used to alleviate sleeplessness, poor appetite and muscular pain
Culinary Use:
- Many willows (Salix species) have bitter-tasting bark that contains derivatives of salicylic acid, the main compound in aspirin