Willow (salix)

We love willow at Scotswood Garden. We have a willow dome which you can go inside and lots of other areas where you can enjoy willow around the garden. Willow’s main properties are that it is very flexible and also very wet. That makes it good for toasting marshmallows and for weaving. 

You can identify willow by its long, slender leaves, as well as its bendy stems. It is often found in damp or riverside locations. The flower of the willow is called a catkin and looks like a furry caterpillar!

In the past willow bark was used to relieve pain, as willow contains small amounts of a chemical with similar properties to aspirin.

Willow is also great for wildlife. The flowers provide pollen for bees and other insects; the willow itself provides shelter for lots of minibeasts including caterpillars, beetles and spiders. Willow can also offer great nesting sites for birds.