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{{SPlantbox

Salix caprea, Linn. Goat Willow. Fig. 3529. A small tree, 12-25 ft. high, with upright branches: lvs. large, 2-5 in. long, 1-3 in. wide, rounded or subcordate at base, rugose, very variable: aments appearing before the lvs., large and showy, especially the staminate ones. Eu., Asia.—The typical form often occurs in yards where it has sprouted from the stock upon which the more popular but scarcely more ornamental variety, pendula, has been grafted. Var. pendula, Hort. Kilmarnock Willow. Dwarfed form, grafted on stock about 4 ft. high, and forming a weeping shrub. Often planted in yards. S. multinervis is supposed to be a hybrid, and probably belongs with S. Caprea. S. Caprea var. tricolor, Hort., is said by F. W. Kelsey to be a round-headed tree, with "tricolored foliage;" probably a form of S. aurita. S. palmaefolia, Hort., is said by F. W. Kelsey to be of vigorous growth, with large, deep green lvs. and reddish purple young wood.

|familia=Salicaceae

|genus=Salix

|species=caprea

|common_name=Florist's willow, French or Pink Pussy willow, Goat Willow, Great Sallow

|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia

|habit=tree

|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia

|Max wd metric=ft

|water=wet, moist

|sunset_zones=2-24, 30-41

|image=Salix caprea8.jpg

|image_caption=Goat Willow male catkins

}}

}}

'''''Salix caprea''''' ('''Goat Willow''', also known as the '''Pussy Willow''' or '''Great Sallow'''), is a common species of [[willow]] native to [[Europe]] and western and central [[Asia]].<ref name=meikle>Meikle, R. D. (1984). ''Willows and Poplars of Great Britain and Ireland''. BSBI Handbook 4. ISBN 0-901158-07-0.</ref>

'''''Salix caprea''''' ('''Goat Willow''', also known as the '''Pussy Willow''' or '''Great Sallow'''), is a common species of [[willow]] native to [[Europe]] and western and central [[Asia]].<ref name=meikle>Meikle, R. D. (1984). ''Willows and Poplars of Great Britain and Ireland''. BSBI Handbook 4. ISBN 0-901158-07-0.</ref>

It is a [[deciduous]] [[shrub]] or small [[tree]], reaching a height of 6-12 m, rarely to 20 m. The [[leaf|leaves]] are 3-12 cm long and from 2-8 cm wide, broader than most other willows. The [[flower]]s are soft silky, silvery 3-7 cm long [[catkin]]s, produced in early spring before the new leaves appear; the male and female catkins are on different plants ([[plant sexuality|dioecious]]). The male catkins mature yellow at [[pollen]] release, the female catkins maturing pale green. The [[fruit]] is a small [[capsule (fruit)|capsule]] 5-10 mm long containing numerous minute [[seed]]s embedded in fine cottony hairs. The seeds are very small (about 0.2 mm) with the fine hairs aiding dispersal; they require bare [[soil]] to [[Germination|germinate]].<ref name=meikle/><ref name=rushforth>Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. Collins. ISBN 0-00-220013-9.</ref>

It is a [[deciduous]] [[shrub]] or small [[tree]], reaching a height of 6-12 m, rarely to 20 m. The [[leaf|leaves]] are 3-12 cm long and from 2-8 cm wide, broader than most other willows. The [[flower]]s are soft silky, silvery 3-7 cm long [[catkin]]s, produced in early spring before the new leaves appear; the male and female catkins are on different plants ([[plant sexuality|dioecious]]). The male catkins mature yellow at [[pollen]] release, the female catkins maturing pale green. The [[fruit]] is a small [[capsule (fruit)|capsule]] 5-10 mm long containing numerous minute [[seed]]s embedded in fine cottony hairs. The seeds are very small (about 0.2 mm) with the fine hairs aiding dispersal; they require bare [[soil]] to [[Germination|germinate]].<ref name=meikle/><ref name=rushforth>Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. Collins. ISBN 0-00-220013-9.</ref>

''Salix caprea'' occurs both in wet environments, such as riverbanks and lake shores, and in drier sites, wherever bare soil becomes available due to ground disturbance.<ref name=meikle/>

*''Salix caprea'' var. ''caprea''. Lowland regions throughout the range. Leaves thinly hairy above, densely hairy below, 5-12 cm long; stipules persistent until autumn.

*''Salix caprea'' var. ''sphacelata'' (Sm.) Wahlenb. (syn. ''S. caprea'' var. ''coaetanea'' Hartm.; ''S. coaetanea'' (Hartm.) Floderus). High altitudes in the mountains of central and northern Europe (Alps, Carpathians, Scotland, Scandinavia). Leaves densely silky-hairy on both sides, 3-7 cm long; stipules early deciduous.

The scientific name, and the common name Goat Willow, probably derive from the first known illustration of the species in [[Hieronymus Bock]]'s 1546 [[Herbal]], where the plant is shown being browsed by a [[goat]]. The species was historically also widely used as a browse for goats, to which Bock's illustration may refer.<ref name=bean>Bean, W. J. (1980). ''Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles''. ISBN 0-7195-2428-8.</ref>

'''''[[Salix]] caprea'''''. Goat Willow. A small tree, 12-25 ft. high, with upright branches: lvs. large, 2-5 in. long, 1-3 in. wide, rounded or subcordate at base, rugose, very variable: aments appearing before the lvs., large and showy, especially the staminate ones. Eu., Asia.—The typical form often occurs in yards where it has sprouted from the stock upon which the more popular but scarcely more ornamental variety, pendula, has been grafted. Var. pendula, Hort. Kilmarnock Willow. Dwarfed form, grafted on stock about 4 ft. high, and forming a weeping shrub. Often planted in yards. S. multinervis is supposed to be a hybrid, and probably belongs with S. Caprea. S. Caprea var. tricolor, Hort., is said by F. W. Kelsey to be a round-headed tree, with "tricolored foliage;" probably a form of S. aurita. S. palmaefolia, Hort., is said by F. W. Kelsey to be of vigorous growth, with large, deep green lvs. and reddish purple young wood.

===Ecology===

==Cultivation==

Unlike almost all other willows, pure specimens of ''Salix caprea'' do not take root readily from cuttings; if a willow resembling the species does root easily, it is probably a hybrid with another species of willow.<ref name=rushforth/>

Unlike almost all other willows, pure specimens of ''Salix caprea'' do not take root readily from cuttings; if a willow resembling the species does root easily, it is probably a hybrid with another species of willow.<ref name=rushforth/>

The leaves are used as a food resource by several species of [[List of Lepidoptera which feed on Willows|Lepidoptera]], and are also commonly eaten by browsing [[mammal]]s.

The leaves are commonly eaten by browsing [[mammal]]s. Willows are very susceptible to gall inducers and the midge [[Rhabdophaga rosaria]] forms the Camellia gall on S. caprea.<ref>[http://www.joensuu.fi/biologia/nyman/IOWgallinducers.htm Gall Inducers]</ref>

 

A small number of [[cultivar]]s have been selected for garden use. The most common is ''S. caprea'' 'Kilmarnock', with stiffly pendulous shoots, forming a mop-head; it is a male clone. A similar female clone is ''S. caprea'' 'Weeping Sally'. As they do not form a leader, they are [[grafting|grafted]] on erect stems of other willows; the height of these cultivars is determined by the height at which the graft is made.<ref name=rushforth/> Plants can also be grown from greenwood cuttings make attractive creeping mounds. Hardwood cuttings are often difficult to root.

 

There are two [[variety (biology)|varieties]]:<ref name=meikle/>

*''Salix caprea'' var. ''sphacelata'' (Sm.) Wahlenb. (syn. ''S. caprea'' var. ''coaetanea'' Hartm.; ''S. coaetanea'' (Hartm.) Floderus). High altitudes in the mountains of central and northern Europe (Alps, Carpathians, Scotland, Scandinavia). Leaves densely silky-hairy on both sides, 3-7 cm long; stipules early deciduous.

[[Hybrid (biology)|Hybrids]] with several other willow species are common, notably with ''[[Salix cinerea]]'' (''S. × reichardtii''), ''[[Salix aurita]]'' (''S. × multinervis''), ''[[Salix viminalis]]'' (''S. × smithiana''), and ''[[Salix purpurea]]'' (''S. × sordida''). Populations of ''Salix caprea'' often show hybrid introgression.<ref name=meikle/><ref name=rushforth/>

A small number of [[cultivar]]s have been selected for garden use. The commonest is ''S. caprea'' 'Kilmarnock', with stiffly pendulous shoots, forming a mop-head; it is a male clone. A similar female clone is ''S. caprea'' 'Weeping Sally'. As they do not root from cuttings, they are [[grafting|grafted]] on erect stems of other willows; the height of these cultivars is determined by the height at which the graft is made.<ref name=rushforth/>

As with the closely related ''[[Salix discolor]]'' (American Pussy Willow), it is also often grown for cut flowers. See [[Pussy Willow]] for further cultural information and uses, which apply to both species.

Image:Salix caprea catkin1 ies.jpg|Male catkins

Image:Upload.png| photo 1

==References==

==References==

<References/>

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{{Commons|Salix caprea}}

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