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Salix ×fragilis
Also called Brittle Willow, Hybrid Crack Willow, Hybrid White Willow
Crack willow is a fast-growing hybrid deciduous tree of riverbanks and wet ground across Europe and western Asia, valued for quick shade and stabilising soil. It needs moist soil and plenty of room because its brittle branches and spreading roots can cause damage.
Salix × fragilis, with the common names crack willow and brittle willow, is a hybrid species of willow native to Europe and Western Asia. It is native to riparian habitats, usually found growing beside rivers and streams, and in marshes and water meadow channels. It is a hybrid between Salix euxina and Salix alba, and is very variable, with forms linking both parents.
Salix × fragilis is cultivated as a fast-growing ornamental tree. The cultivar 'Russelliana' (syn. S. × fragilis var. russelliana) is by far the most common clone of crack willow in Great Britain and Ireland, very easily propagated by cuttings. It is a vigorous tree commonly reaching 20–25 m (66–82 ft) tall, with leaves up to 15 cm long. It is a female clone.
The plant is commonly called crack willow or brittle willow because it is highly susceptible to damage from wind, ice and snow. The name also derives from the twigs, which break off very easily and cleanly at the base with an audible crack. Broken twigs and branches can readily take root, enabling the species to colonise new areas when they fall into waterways and are carried some distance downstream. The plant is particularly adept at colonising new riverside sandbanks formed after floods. It also spreads by root suckers, forming pure 'groves'.
Siberian Violet Willow · White willow · Salix alpina · Arctic willow · Eared willow · Peking Willow · Goat Willow · Pussy willow · Olive Willow · Salix excelsa · Narrowleaf willow · Salix fargesii
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Salix × fragilis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
