For single planting, Most beautiful in spring, Most beautiful in summer,

A charming tree with a small weeping crown and shoots hanging down to the ground. Will serve as a real decoration of any garden!

Height of an adult plant (m): The height depends on the level of vaccination.

Description

Willow tree goat Kilmarnock (Pendula) with a small weeping crown and shoots hanging to the ground. Decorative due to the shape of the crown, as well as in spring, during flowering, when the flowers emit a delicate aroma.

Valuable honey plant.

Crown

The crown is umbrella, weeping, with drooping branches.

Needles/Foliage

The leaves are dark green, shiny above, covered with gray-white villi below.

Bloom

Blooms 7-13 days on last year's shoots before the leaves appear.

Flowers - fragrant yellow-gold catkins (male clone).

Fruit

Blooms 7-13 days (until leaves appear) yellow-gold fragrant catkins (male clone)

Requirements

Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade. It is undemanding to the soil, grows on any soils. Does not tolerate flooding. Fully cold hardy.

Landing

Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade. It is undemanding to the soil, grows on any soils. Does not tolerate flooding.

Care

Without special pruning, especially in the early years, the plant will not be able to develop properly and will not show its decorative qualities: a weeping branch, if it is not formed correctly, simply “falls” to the ground in one season and it will be almost impossible to correct the situation. Pruning should be done after flowering in late spring - early summer. Candelabra trimming method: for correct formation In the first years of the crown, it is necessary to cut off all young shoots shortly (up to 15-20 cm), but so that a bud remains at the end of the shoot, looking to the side and up, then the crown will look like an equilaterally developed umbrella. Another way of pruning is to remove the apical buds of young shoots during the summer, i.e. pinch them as soon as they reach a size of 15-20 cm. This awakens the side shoots to growth and the crown is dense.

Fully cold hardy.

Top dressing with complex fertilizers in spring and autumn.

reproduction

Propagated by grafting, seeds.

Willow goat ‘Kilmarnock’

(It is more convenient to purchase a ready-made seedling in the nursery).

This is interesting

Leaves, earrings, bark are used for medicinal purposes. Strong and flexible branches are used for weaving baskets, making fences, etc.

Goat willow Kilmarnock on trunk

Goat willow: kilmarnock and pendula on trunk

For single planting, Beautiful flowering, Most beautiful in spring, Most beautiful in summer,

A miniature tree on a trunk, with shoots hanging down to the ground. Blooms before leafing out with yellow fragrant catkins. The leaves are wrinkled, oblong, green, gray below.

Crown diameter of an adult plant (m): 1,5

Description

Weeping willow Pendula is a miniature tree on a trunk with shoots hanging down to the ground.

Pairs well with evergreen trees, dwarf conifers, ground covers, perennials. Can form a hedge.

plant life span

Lives up to 30 years.

Crown

The crown is spherical.

Needles/Foliage

The leaves are smooth and dark above, velvety below with a silvery color.

Bark

The bark is greenish-gray, becoming red-olive or red-brown with age.

Bloom

The leaves are smooth and dark above, velvety below with a silvery color.

Flowers are yellow fragrant catkins.

Landing

Likes fresh soil, loam. On light soils, it may shed its leaves earlier. Can't stand high content lime in the soil and flooding.

Care

Without special pruning, especially in the early years, the plant will not be able to develop properly and will not show its decorative qualities: a weeping branch, if it is not formed correctly, simply “falls” to the ground in one season and it will be almost impossible to correct the situation. Pruning should be done after flowering in late spring - early summer. Candelabra-like pruning method: for the correct formation of the crown, it is necessary to cut all young shoots shortly (up to 15-20 cm) in the first years, but so that at the end of the shoot there is a bud looking to the side and up, then the crown will look like an equilaterally developed umbrella .

Another way of pruning is to remove the apical buds of young shoots during the summer, i.e. pinch them as soon as they reach a size of 15-20 cm. This awakens the side shoots to growth and the crown is dense.

It is also necessary to remove the strapping or label from the grafting site in young plants. If rootstocks have formed below the grafting site, they must be ruthlessly removed.

Watering is regular and plentiful.

Frost-resistant. It needs shelter for the bole only during snowless winters with strong temperature fluctuations.

Fertilizers are complex.

Resistant to pests and diseases.

Willow goat willow

Goat willow, other names Bredin and Rakita (from lat. Salix caprea) is a tree or shrub. The name of the plant was due to the love of goats and sheep to feast on the juicy foliage of the tree. The natural range of the goat willow is quite wide and stretches over the entire territory of the Eurasian continent, with the exception of the alpine belt and tundra. This plant has received to date quite wide use in landscape design. Many landscape designers use it in the decoration of personal plots. The plant is unpretentious, can be planted in almost any climatic conditions and it will grow to the right size.

Willow goat kilmarnock in the photo

Description of goat willow

An unpretentious willow grows on the edges in the forest and near water bodies, on wet marshy soils. The type of tree depends on the illumination and fertility of the soil. The bark of the goat willow has a brown color with cracks. Leaves vary in size and color. The willow is especially beautiful in spring, when it releases buds and young shoots.

On personal plots, rakita is successfully used in the design of landscape design. Although the tree is not decorative, however, the weeping branches on the trunk look restrained and refined. Rakita grows well near ponds and rocky surfaces. The traditional image of a weeping willow, whose branches descend to the water, and in the smoothness, as if in a mirror, a tree is reflected - a touching rural pastoral. To emphasize a lonely standing goat willow, it is good to surround it with a green lawn with small springs randomly scattered over the carpet. Rakita has a well-developed root system, which allows planting on slopes. Powerful goat willow roots will strengthen the slopes and save you from landslides and landslides.

Rakita is valued not only as an element in the design of personal plots, but also as a source of natural medicinal product. Due to the presence of tannins. alkaloid, flavoloid and phenol glycoside compounds, the bark of the tree is widely used in traditional medicine. The color and foliage of the rakita do not lag behind in useful properties. As part of which vitamins, saponins, organic acids and lipids are synthesized.

Willow goat and fruits in the photo - planting

Scientists in the course of research revealed the presence of nitrogen-containing, proanthocyanidin, catechin substances and essential oils. Due to the unique compounds that make up the bark, color and leaves of goat willow, in folk medicine, decoctions and tinctures from the plant are used as an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and hemostatic agent. Due to its wound healing and tonic characteristics, decoctions and tinctures from rakita are widely used in cosmetic procedures.

Use of rakita

Goat willow bark is used as a decoction, which is used in the treatment of rheumatism, whooping cough and fever. In folk medicine, a decoction of the bark is also used in the treatment of migraine and neurological disorders, getting rid of gout, stopping various bleeding. Including internal, for the treatment of gastrointestinal intestinal tract and even for the treatment of malaria.

The drug from the bark of the willow is an excellent anthelmintic agent that can be used even by small children. For external purposes, a decoction is used to gargle an inflamed throat, with tonsillitis, a virus, laryngitis and pharyngitis, as well as to prevent seasonal colds. Tincture in the form of lotions is used to treat dermatitis, eczema, burns and various skin diseases and irritations.

The crushed dry bark of the tree is used as a powder to treat skin ulcers, boils and severe burns. A decoction of goat willow helps fight excessive sweating. To normalize the work of the sweat and sebaceous glands, it is necessary to wipe yourself and take baths with willow broth.

Willow goat in landscape design in the photo

Due to the sedative characteristics, the drug from the bark of the willow helps to successfully cope with anxiety, normalizes sleep, and has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. For people suffering from puffiness and hypertension, doctors recommend regularly taking a decoction of willow. Aspirin and quinine were synthesized from willow bark, so the use of the bark successfully replaces the use of medications.

Planting a willow

For planting goat willow, you need to choose a well-lit place with wet mail. Reproduction of the tree occurs vegetatively or by seeds. To form a lush and beautiful crown, willow requires regular pruning, especially young plant. Pruning is carried out in early summer immediately after flowering. A spherical or umbrella shape is formed as a result of the correct pruning of young shoots.

Consider the main types of goat willow:

Consider what is a type of rakita Pendula. The decorative representative of the goat willow is Pendula. This subspecies of rakita is distinguished by beautiful weeping branches that form an extraordinary crown. Rakita Pendula has an incredibly colorful decorative flowering. Another additional phenomenon of the first foliage willow is covered with long "earrings" of golden color. Pendula, characterized by frost resistance, is therefore ideal for growing in harsh climatic conditions.

Willow standard care

The only condition is sufficient soil moisture. The great advantage of Pendula willow is that it is an excellent honey plant. Unusual decorative color has a high nectar content. Therefore, Pendula can become indispensable assistant in beekeeping.

Types of goat willow in landscape design in the photo - landing

The most common species that is found in the natural landscape near water bodies. An unsightly tree is very fond of goats and sheep. In household plots you can find standard form willows, whose height reaches 3 m. Weeping willow is a fast-growing tree, so it is ideal for landscaping country houses and dachas. Rakita was called weeping for the falling branches that form lush crown who seems to be crying. Just like Pendula willow, weeping willow is frost-resistant. The tree blooms in early spring with pleasantly smelling yellow inflorescences.

The decorative subspecies of the Kilmarnock willow is widely used in the design of landscape design of parks, gardens and various areas with ponds. A small tree with a lush crown, densely hanging branches and small “earrings” of a yellow tint can add charm and imagery and help create an original atmosphere. Like all goat willows, Kilmanrnock prefers moist soil and good light. As good as Pendula, Kilmanrnok is an excellent source of nectar for bees. Honey collected from this type of rakita is characterized by a bitter taste, and due to its healing properties, it is recommended to use it for respiratory diseases and people suffering from diabetes.

The globular willow is an ornamental dwarf subspecies of the goat willow, which is distinguished by graceful curves and a spherical crown with branches directed to the ground. Yellow flowers exuding a delicate aroma attract bees. The globular willow is a fast growing hardy tree. Therefore, this little beauty is able to decorate any landscape design.

The harmful properties of goat willow are numerous and varied, although this does not affect its beneficial properties, which always prevail over harmful ones. Like any treatment plant, goat willow can be both beneficial and harmful. As Avicenna said - "In a drop - a medicine, in a spoon - a poison," therefore, drugs from goat willow should be used in doses and on the recommendation of the attending physician. WITH great care decoctions and tinctures should be used by people with hyperacidity, gastritis, with reduced blood clotting. It is contraindicated for people prone to allergic reactions and individual intolerance.

Goat willow (bredina, willow) - Salix Caprea L. Willow family - Salicaceae

Botanical characteristic

Tree or shrub. The bark is greenish-gray from a young age, later brown, fissured. Young shoots are gray-pubescent, with large buds. The leaves vary greatly in size and shape on the same plant: ovate, round, elliptical, oblong-lanceolate, often wavy, serrated, dense, wrinkled, glabrous above, dark green, gray felt below.

Goat willow decoration

The flowers are yellowish-gray, collected in drooping brush-earrings. Blooms until leaves appear. The fruit is a box. Seeds are wavy, grey.

Spreading

It grows near streams, in forests, clearings, among shrubs.

plant parts used

Medicinal raw materials are bark, leaves, flowers, earrings, collected at different times in the usual way.

Chemical composition

Goat willow bark contains a large amount, and the leaves contain a smaller amount of tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenol glucosides (salicin and its derivatives).

The leaves and inflorescences contain vitamins, organic acids, saponins, nitrogen-containing compounds, proanthocyanidins, essential oil, catechins, lipids (triacetylglycerides), in acid hydrolyzate (lauric, myristic, pentadecanoic, margaric, arachidic, heneicosanic and their isomers).

Application and medicinal properties

Willow preparations have a hemostatic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, wound healing, tonic effect. Glycoside salicin under the action of the enzyme salipaza splits into glucose and alcohol saligenin, which in the body is oxidized into salicylic acid.

In folk medicine, a decoction of willow bark is used for rheumatism, whooping cough, headache, fever, various bleeding, gout, malaria, gastrointestinal diseases, neuralgia, as a sedative, anthelmintic; externally - for rinsing, lotions, baths, powders for ulcers, wounds, boils, sweating.

In Azerbaijan, willow in the form of decoctions and infusions is used as an antipyretic, sedative, diuretic, astringent. Alcohol extracts of inflorescences and a total preparation of willow polyphenolic compounds are recommended for functional disorders of the cardiovascular system: tachycardia, angiospastic pain.

The peoples of many countries use goat willow preparations as a substitute for quinine, aspirin, and this is no accident: for the first time, aspirin was obtained from willow.

Nanais use young plants to treat rheumatoid diseases. Willow bark is an ingredient in a diaphoretic tea used in various diseases mainly for colds. The fresh juice of the bark and leaves is an effective treatment for calluses; a decoction of the bark and leaves - for the growth and strengthening of hair.

Cooking

• For getting decoction 20 g of the bark is crushed, pour 200 ml of boiling water, insist on a boiling water bath for 30 minutes, cool for 10-15 minutes, filter. Take 2 tbsp. spoons 3-4 times a day.
• For infusion 10 g of inflorescences are poured into 200 ml of boiling water, insisted on a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, cooled for 45 minutes, filtered. Take 2 tbsp. spoons 3-4 times a day.

Tags: herbalist, willow

This plant is found throughout Europe, the Caucasus, Western and Central Asia. It is absent only in the tundra and alpine forests. It is called goat willow, rakita or nonsense. You can often see thickets of goat willow along the roads, near houses, on the edges of the forest and clearings.

Description and characteristic features

goat willow- a plant from the willow family. This is a deciduous tree, reaching a height of 10 meters with a trunk diameter of up to 75 cm. Willow is often found as a woody shrub. The average lifespan of a plant in wild nature is 150 years old.

Goat willow got its name due to the fact that its leaves and branches are a favorite delicacy for sheep and goats. Her favorite places of growth are fertile rich soils with a high content of sand or gravel. Thanks to the branched root system, the plant takes root well on stony soils.

Characteristic features of willow:

Cultivated goat willow is very decorative . It remains attractive at any time of the year:

• In the spring, after the snow melts, the shoots are covered with fluffy flowers.
• All summer and autumn the tree is covered with dense elegant foliage.
• In winter, after the leaves fall, willow branches stand out against the background of snow with a bright and unusual color.

Goat willow is widely used in landscape design. Especially often it is planted on personal plots of private houses and cottages. It reaches a height of 3 to 6 m. The goat willow on the trunk looks very impressive and attractive. Planting and caring for her is easy. The appearance of the plant is highly dependent on the light and soil composition. The tree looks great rocky gardens and on the banks of water bodies. It holds the soil well with its roots, so it is often planted on the slopes of ravines.

Planting and propagation of goat willow

For goat willow choose a sunny place, protected from drafts. The plant does not like waterlogged and waterlogged soils, so when planting, you need to organize good drainage. Willow is undemanding to the soil, but it grows best on loam, although it can also develop on sandy soils. The main thing is that the earth should not be limed.

Goat willow is propagated by seeds or grafting. Cutting does not give good results. Seeds are best sown immediately after harvest, as they quickly lose their germination capacity. But it is best to buy a ready-made seedling in a nursery.

Willows are planted in spring or autumn, so that the tree has time to take root and build up the root system. Add manure or compost to the planting hole. After planting, the plant needs regular watering - for the first week, at least 25 liters of water must be poured under it. If the weather is dry, then you need to water the plant as often as possible and more. From the second year of life, the plant is watered every 7 days. It also needs to be sprayed regularly in the morning or evening.

Goat willow is a plant that requires constant care. Under the vaccination site, growth often appears, which must be regularly removed. Otherwise, the vaccine will die. Goat willow also needs regular pruning.

Feed the plant two or three times during the growing season. For this, complex fertilizers, superphosphate or potassium sulfur are used.

The area around the willow must be constantly weeded and prevent the growth of weeds. To do this, the soil is mulched with pebbles, paper, sawdust, peat, which also retains moisture in the soil. After watering, the soil must be loosened to prevent cracking. The plant is winter hardy and does not require shelter, but young shoots need to be covered. A tree on a trunk is covered for the winter without fail.

Plant diseases and pests

Goat willow is resistant to most diseases, but sometimes it can be affected by powdery mildew. This is a specific fungus that affects lower leaves crowns. At the same time, a white coating appears on them, then they turn yellow and fall off. Antifungal drugs are used for treatment. Affected leaves are removed and burned.

Another disease affecting the plant is black spot. It is also caused by fungi. The disease is treated with fungicides. To prevent fungal diseases, you need to regularly weed the ground around the plants. Watering is done in such a way that water does not fall on the leaves.

Often, willows are affected by pests: a flower fly or a willow leafworm. To fight flower fly the ground around the plant is watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This destroys the larvae that live there. If there are too many pests, then insecticides are used.

Standard forms of wood

Standard varieties of willow are especially popular. A willow on a stem is a cutting grafted onto a flat, bare trunk - a stem. It is used for decorative design plots.

The standard tree is unpretentious in care and does not take up much space. So that it does not lose shape, it needs regular and correct pruning. Most often, goat willow "pendula" is used to form a standard tree. Planting and caring for this plant is not difficult. With it, you can get beautiful tree with vertically hanging branches.

Used as a base different varieties and you:

• red;
• shaggy;
• creeping;
• whole-leaved.

Willow variety "Pendula" has dark green foliage elliptical in shape, which in autumn period turns yellow. The tree reaches a height of two to three meters. It has a tent-like weeping crown. It is shade tolerant and photophilous plant, which grows on soils of any moisture content. As a rule, it lives no more than 30 years.

Landscape designers use willow as a single tree and as part of decorative groups. It is planted in rock gardens or near water bodies. The tree goes well with low conifers, ground cover and moisture-loving plants. It is propagated by grafting onto a trunk.

The hardest part is pruning the plant. It is especially important to produce it in the first year after planting. If the crown is not formed correctly, then the branches of the plant will fall to the ground and it will lose its decorative effect.

After flowering, branches are cut off from a young tree, leaving shoots 12–15 cm long. At the same time, buds are left directed to the side or up, but not inside the crown. Thus, it is possible to form a crown in the form of an open umbrella. In an adult plant, branches are pruned after flowering by two-thirds of the length. So the crown becomes more branched.

Another common variety of goat willow is the 'Kilmarnock' willow on a trunk.

This is a small standard tree up to one and a half meters tall. It has a weeping crown and long drooping branches reaching to the ground.

The plant has slightly wrinkled green oval leaves that turn yellow in autumn. Willow flowers in April. Numerous golden earrings with a pleasant aroma appear on the tree.

The plant does not tolerate flooding, as it has a superficial root system. At excess moisture roots may rot.

Willow "Kilmarnock" is a light-loving, frost- and wind-resistant plant. It is grown in light areas with light loamy soils with a low lime content. Goat willow 'Kilmarnock' boles are often grown in home gardens. Planting and caring for the plant is easy. It needs to be watered and pruned regularly.

Medicinal use

Willow is medicinal plant, leaves, catkins and bark of which are used to treat various diseases.

Its leaves contain the following beneficial substances:

• vitamins;
• essential oil;
• organic acids;
• lipids and catechins.

A decoction is prepared from the inflorescences of the plant, which has a wound-healing, antipyretic and calming effect.

Medicines prepared from willow have the following therapeutic effects:

• eliminate inflammatory processes;
• stop bleeding;
• heal wounds;
• fight helminths.

Willow is part of the medicines for whooping cough, tuberculosis, gout, rheumatism. Broths from earrings treat arrhythmia and tachycardia. The bark is used to treat colds and gallbladder diseases. Baths are made from it to help against fungal diseases. However, for people suffering from gastritis, willow medicines are contraindicated. Pregnant women and children should also be careful when using willow preparations. There are no contraindications for external use.

goat willow

Botanical name: Willow goat or Bredina (Selix carrea), a species of the genus Willow, family Willow.

Homeland goat willow: Europe.

Lighting: light-requiring, shade-tolerant.

The soil: sandy, swampy, fertile, gravel.

Watering: moderate.

Maximum tree height: 10 m

Average lifespan of a tree: 150 years.

Landing: seeds, grafting, cuttings.

Description of the goat willow tree

Goat willow - small, the height of which reaches up to 10 m. The trunk diameter is up to 75 cm.

The branches are thick, sprawling, young ones are grayish, pubescent, in older trees they are yellow-brown and gray-green, in old individuals they are gray or dark, brittle.

The bark is smooth, has a gray-green color, becomes brown with age, cracks appear at the bottom of the trunk. The wood is smooth, reddening in the air.

Kidneys are naked, large, up to 5 mm long, up to 3 mm wide. Flower buds are ovoid, reddish, large, up to 15 mm long, 3-6 mm wide, not flattened.

The leaves are elliptical, long, up to 11-18 cm long and 5-8 cm wide, dark green above, grayish below. The edge of the sheet is unevenly serrated.

Earrings are dense, large, 30-40 mm in length. Male earrings are wide, oval or oblong, up to 6 cm. Female ones are cylindrical, dense, many-flowered, up to 10 cm long.

The fruit is a box, 7-8 cm, on a fluffy petiole. Each box contains up to 18 seeds. The seeds are equipped with fluffy flyers, so they are easily carried by the wind over long distances, quickly lose their germination.

Goat willow blooms in April, before the leaves bloom. Flowering time is 10-13 days. Fruits in May. It is frost-resistant, it is not exacting to the soil. Willow goat photo.

Goat willow planting and tree care

Goat willow is not demanding on the soil, so planting can be done in any substrate. Prefers light, fresh loam. High lime content should be avoided. root system tree surface, tolerates planting trunk circle but sensitive to soil moisture. The tree is hardy, but juveniles may be affected by the first frost. Since the plant is photophilous, it should be planted in well-lit and protected from the wind places. Goat willow care consists in the timely removal of wild shoots that form under the grafting site. decorative trees regularly trimmed to a height of 30-60 cm.

Goat willow is planted in early spring. In order for the plant to take root faster, the branches are placed in a container of water. Finished cuttings are planted in open ground. Before planting, you need to dig a shallow hole. Mix the excavated soil with compost. Place the seedling in a recess, compact the soil. Water the landing site with plenty of water. Watering young seedlings should be done 2-3 times a week. Adults do not need regular watering.

Willow goat on a trunk: height and pruning for the form

The goat willow on the stem consists of a smooth bare trunk (stem), the size of which is determined by design solution and grafted cuttings. The willow on the trunk serves as a decorative design for the garden plot. It does not take up much space and is not whimsical in care. In order for the standard tree to retain its shape and height for a long time, constant and correct pruning of branches is necessary.

The most common variety of goat willow used for the trunk is "Pendula". The result is a beautiful little tree with vertically hanging branches.

To get an oval spherical crown, goat willow variety "Mas" is used.

It serves as a base:

red willow

shaggy willow

creeping willow

willow

Standard willow looks good in a single planting, on an alpine hill, in a garden and on the shore of a reservoir.

Goat willow grows in deciduous, broad-leaved, mixed and coniferous forests, on the edges, along roads, around water bodies. Distributed in Europe, the Caucasus, Western and Central Asia.

Tree pests: willow, flower fly.

Diseases: powdery mildew, black spotting.

Willow goat Pedula (Pendula)

Willow goat Pendula is a deciduous tree. The shape of the crown is weeping, tent-shaped, 2-3 m wide, 2-3 m high. Average life expectancy is up to 30 years. The leaves are oblong-elliptical, dark green, 8-10 cm long. Yellow in autumn. The flowers are golden yellow, flat catkins. Goat willow Pendula blooms from April to May. Flowering lasts up to 15 days. The fruits are boxes. The tree is light-loving, shade-tolerant. Grows in any soil moisture.

Willow goat Pendula is used in single plantings and decorative groups. It is not whimsical to the soil, but needs abundant watering and care. In order to prevent rotting of the roots, a thick layer of drainage is laid in the soil when planting. Despite the high frost resistance of the tree for the winter period, it is required to cover the bole.

The most difficult thing in caring for the Pendula willow is its pruning. If in the first years the plant is not properly formed, its branches will very quickly lie down on the ground. All shoots are cut from young seedlings, leaving 15 cm with one bud at the end, looking up or to the side, but not inside the crown. Thus, a crown is formed that looks like an umbrella from short branches.

Mature trees are pruned after flowering. Shoots are shortened by 2/3 of their length. Thanks to this pruning, the goat willow begins to branch densely. Behind summer period new shoots have time to fully form and become strong enough to bloom.

In landscape design, goat willow Pendula is used in single and group compositions. Harmoniously looks near reservoirs and in rock gardens. Combines with moisture-loving plants, perennials, ground covers, conifers dwarf trees. Goat willow Pendula is propagated by grafting onto a trunk.

Weeping goat willow

Very spectacular tree with flexible, twig-like, weeping shoots, which are located at the top of a small trunk - trunk. At good lighting forms a narrow tent-shaped crown with shoots, falling to the ground. In spring, the shoots are densely covered fluffy flowers. Weeping goat willow almost does not grow upwards. It exceeds the height of its bole by only 30-40 cm. It looks beautiful against the background of plants with a different shade of foliage. Used in group plantings, planted at the turns of garden paths.

Willow goat spherical: photo and description

Tree of low dwarf form. The decorative value of the plant lies in a spherical crown with unusual shoots hanging down.

Leaves are lanceolate, leathery. The underside of the leaves is gray-felt, the upper side is dark green. Willow goat spherical blooms before the appearance of leaves. Flowering lasts up to 20 days. Flowers - fluffy, yellow earrings. Willow of this form grows very quickly.

Planted in parks, squares and on garden plots. Used as a hedge. Photo willow goat spherical

Willow goat Kilmarnock

Willow goat form Kilmarnock is a miniature, standard tree up to 1.5 m high. The branches are long, deeply drooping, stretching to the very ground. The shape of the crown is weeping, in the form of an umbrella. Blooms in April. The flowers are silvery, numerous, yellow earrings with a pleasant aroma.

The leaves are slightly wrinkled, oblong - elliptical, green. They turn yellow in autumn. The root system is superficial, sensitive to flooding.

Willow goat Kilmarnock is photophilous, frost-resistant, wind-resistant. To the soil is not whimsical. Grows on loamy and light substrates with a low content of lime, sensitive to moisture. With excessive soil moisture, the roots located in the surface layer can rot. Grow a tree in a well-lit area.

The use of goat willow

Goat willow bark contains tannins used in the leather industry. Thin leather, intended for the manufacture of gloves, as well as morocco, is dressed with a tanning extract of the bark of this tree. The bark is also valued in folk medicine. It is astringent, antipyretic, wound healing, choleretic and sedative. A decoction of the bark is used for colds and rheumatism, diseases of the spleen and gallbladder.

In addition, goat willow bark contains biologically active compounds: flavones, tannins, glycosides, vitamins, minerals. Fresh willow leaves are applied to calluses to soften them. With tuberculosis of the joints, baths are made with an infusion of willow leaves. Male inflorescences in the form of an alcoholic infusion or water decoction help with neuroses and disorders of the cardiovascular system.

With stomatitis and gum disease, a decoction of the bark is used to rinse the mouth. Also goat willow is effective tool with increased sweating. To normalize the work of the sweat glands, a decoction of the bark is taken orally.

Goat willow wood is used as a building, ornamental material and material for the manufacture of furniture and household items. It also serves as a fuel. Branches are material for creating hedges. The leafy branches are fed to livestock, especially goats and sheep. Bredin leaves are used as a substitute for tea. From the male earrings of this tree in the Caucasus they make an intoxicating drink.

Goat willow is considered an excellent honey plant, valuable for beekeeping. Bees take nectar, pollen, honeydew, and sticky bud secretions from the tree, which the bees turn into propolis.

During the flowering period, the branches of the bredin serve as a decoration for the room, and where there is no real willow, they are used in Easter rites.

The bark is harvested before the willow blossoms, during the sap flow. The bark removed from the tree is dried in the sun and dried in the oven. The finished raw material should not bend, it becomes hard and brittle. Store the dried bark in a box. Shelf life 4 years.

From the rods of this tree weave baskets, different in shape and purpose. A thin willow rod combines flexibility and resilience. From peeled rods, craftsmen make small products that are convenient for picking berries, and large baskets with which you can go for mushrooms. Neither, nor do they crumple. For harvesting potatoes, special baskets made of willow twigs are used, which are called "potato" baskets. There are wicker products for storing papers, there are also flower baskets, they decorate the festive table.

Bread boxes, candy boxes, crackers and other kitchen utensils are woven from the vine. A beautifully woven vase will decorate any table, both solemn and everyday. For weaving baskets, one-year and two-year-old willow shoots are suitable - long and thin.

Goat willow, which is often found in the literature under the name of nonsense, is popularly referred to as rakita. Culture from the willow family, whose homeland is considered European part continent. Although at present it also grows in the wild in Western and Central Asia, in the Caucasus. The life cycle of the willow, during which it can reach 10 m in height and 0.75 m in trunk width, lasts approximately 150 years.

Many culture lovers are interested in the question: is the goat willow a tree or a shrub. Everyone has their own opinion on this matter, but there is general classification, according to which bredina is a deciduous tree, sometimes a tree-like shrub.

Description and decorative properties

The height of the plant, growing as a tree or sometimes a shrub, varies from 3 to 6 m. Since the goat willow has a branched rhizome, it develops excellently on rocky ground. Growing at a fast pace. The main virtue of culture is preservation of external attractiveness at any time of the year:

• with the advent of spring, the shoots are covered with fluffy "seals";
• from summer to autumn, the crown cover is represented by dense foliage and pretty flowers;
• after the onset of winter, the shoots stand out with an unusual color, contrasting against the background of snow.

While the tree is young, its bark is colored greenish-gray. As the culture matures, the color changes to red-olive or red-brown. The shape of the leaves can be lanceolate or ovoid, depending on the type of plant. Taking out a plate, painted in dark green, reaches a length of 13 cm, a width of 8 cm. The flexibility of the shoots allows them to sink to the very ground. Planting a tree on a site with sufficient illumination makes it possible to form a lush crown, which is of the highest value from a decorative point of view.

Fluffy "seals" hiding shoots in spring time, represent a rod, around which there are a large number of flowers in a spiral. When the anthers are ripe, male flowers have a golden halo. During the flowering period, a pleasant aroma emanates from the willow, which attracts a large number of insects. This property gives willow value as a good honey plant. And also she has important characteristics, as frost resistance and unpretentiousness to the ground.

Landing

Landing can be carried out throughout the season, But optimal time is early spring. For a good rooting of a tree, attention must be paid to quality planting material at the acquisition stage. Rakita grown on a trunk needs a thorough examination for damage to the bark and dead scales on it. Only after a detailed inspection can you buy a seedling.

Goat willow does not have special soil requirements, but loamy soils are considered preferable, which retains moisture due to sufficient density. Landing should be carried out in a well-lit area, protected from drafts, in a prepared hole 40 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter.

There are a number of secrets, the implementation of which will allow for a competent landing:

1. IN landing pit drainage is placed in the form of a thick layer broken brick, to prevent the possibility of decay of the horse system.
2. The third part of the pit is filled with a soil mixture of humus, compost and peat, combined in equal proportions.
3. With heavy soil, a fifth of the sand is added to the mixture.
4. Then there are entered mineral fertilizers in the form of 200 g of azofoska.
5. After thorough mixing, a seedling is placed in the pit and covered with earth.
6. The soil under the tree is compacted.

Upon completion of the procedure, the planted plant is watered abundantly - at least 15 liters of water. In the first year, goat willow requires enhanced hydration - twice a week, 12 liters. And in summer season under dry conditions, the frequency of watering must be increased. In the future, irrigation is reduced to once a week.

Care

Potential Problems in Cultivation

According to experts, the culture is resistant to most diseases. However, their manifestations are periodically noted on the willow. Unfortunately, it is not only diseases that present the difficulty that arises when cultivating rakita. The most common problems:

Proper care and timely protection of the plant from diseases and pests will allow the gardener to enjoy its attractiveness for many years.

Varieties

Usually, gardeners prefer the following varieties of willow:

• Pandula, the main decoration of which is the weeping appearance of the crown and the standard form.
• Kilmarnock, which has a miniature size and an umbrella crown.

Willow Goat Pendula

A tree with a height within 3 m, the life cycle of which is 30 years. Light-loving species that is able to withstand slight shading and growth on soils with any level of humidity. For its normal development, it is required to provide abundant watering, not forgetting a high drainage layer to avoid overflows. Another useful property plants - frost resistance. But in latitudes with severe winters it is better not to take risks - to provide cover for the bole.

Once again, we note that the main advantages of Pendula willow are hip-shaped weeping crown and graceful appearance of a willow on a stem. The dark green leafy plates of the Pendula goat willow, having an oblong elliptical shape of 10 cm, change color to yellow in autumn.

Flowering is noted in the second half of spring, when flat golden catkins are ejected. The duration of the flowering phase does not exceed two weeks. After the completion of this phase of development, the formation of fruits in the form of boxes takes place.

The most difficult and time-consuming element of Pendula care is pruning. If the crown was not properly formed in the first year, the shoots will fall to the ground, leading to a loss of the decorative value of the variety. All shoots should be pruned from a young specimen, leaving a length of only 15 cm. Not forgetting the need for a bud on the remaining branch, looking to the side or up. This way of cutting will allow you to create a shape resembling an open umbrella.

Goat Willow Kilmarnock

A distinctive feature of the species is miniature- maximum height of 1.5 m. Like the previous species, this stam tree looks like an open umbrella with shoots reaching the ground level. The variety is photophilous, resistant to frost and drafts, undemanding to the type of soil. However, the plant has one drawback, which is sensitivity to moisture. When watering, you should have a sense of proportion. The beginning of flowering is noted in mid-spring with the release of many catkins, consisting of small fragrant flowers.

Use in landscape design

Thanks to distinguishing feature tree, which consists in the rapid formation of a branched root and the development of the aerial part, it can often be found in parks, squares, on the banks of reservoirs, alpine hills. Rakita is used both in single plantings and in compositions with other plants. Often used to create a hedge. Goat willow in landscape design is in harmony with evergreen representatives of tree species, dwarf conifers, ground cover perennials.

The use of goat willow in folk medicine

Culture has found its application in various spheres of life.: its branches are used for weaving baskets, and the crushed bark is used for tanning leather. However, besides this, it plays a significant role in folk medicine. For example, decoctions of goat willow leaves, which contain medicinal properties, are excellent rinses. oral cavity for the treatment of gum disease and stomatitis. Rakita is able to save a person from corns and normalize the work of the sweat glands. And also its use has a wound-healing, choleretic, antipyretic, sedative effect.

If a person has manifestations of gallbladder disease, rheumatism, or just a cold cough, then you can safely prepare a healing decoction from goat willow bark. To do this, pour 20 g of chopped bark with a glass of boiling water. Boil the well-mixed mixture for half an hour in a water bath. After removing from heat, let stand for 15 minutes. After straining, the decoction is ready for use, two tablespoons three times a day.

So, goat willow is primarily beautiful ornamental plant used in landscape design to form fabulous garden compositions. Secondly, the culture has many medicinal properties. By planting a crop on his site, a person will be able to combine the mass useful qualities in one tree.

Well-lit and wind-sheltered locations are recommended. Prefers moist soils, but also grows in moderately dry and even dry sandy soils. High lime content in the soil should be avoided. Before planting, a shallow hole is dug, the earth is mixed with compost, a drainage layer of crushed stone and gravel is poured into the hole. After planting, the soil is compacted and watered abundantly. Watering of young plants is carried out 2-3 times a week.

Wintering willow goat "Kilmarnock"

Frost-resistant. Young plants may suffer from wetting. It is recommended to cover plant boles by wrapping them with burlap or spunbond in 2 layers.

Care Willow goat "Kilmarnock"

Care consists in the timely removal of shoots, cut off under the vaccination site. In timely, regulated watering, it is sensitive to waterlogging of the soil; with excess moisture, the roots can rot. Doesn't need much feeding

Pruning goat willow "Kilmarnock"

Special pruning is needed, especially in the early years, to form the crown. Pruning is carried out after flowering, in late spring - early summer (in June). For the correct formation of the crown, it is necessary to shortly (up to 15 - 20 cm) cut off all the young shoots of the first year, so that at the end of the shoot there are buds with their tops up and to the side, then the crown will grow in the form of an umbrella. Another way of pruning: during the summer, pinch the apical buds of young shoots as soon as they reach a size of 15 - 20 cm. This encourages the side shoots to grow and the crown is dense. It is recommended to remove the overgrowth that forms under the vaccination site.