Transcript Parts 1 & 2 - Weeds Australia

Weeds of National Significance
WILLOW IDENTIFICATION
An essential skill for effective willow
management
Part 1 Intro and Part 2
Supported by the State Government of Victoria.
Did you know?
Q: How many types of willows
are there in the world?
Clue: more than 100 have
been imported to Australia in
the past, so lots more than
this.
A: More than 300 different species,
varieties, cultivars and hybrids
> 30 of these are naturalised in
Australia
New hybrids are forming every day
Willow groupings
Genus: Salix (all willows)
Salix
“tree willows”
Chamaetia
“alpine willows”
Vetrix
“shrub willows”
Did you know?
Q: What kind of sportsmen
would pay top dollar for a
bit of willow wood?
Clue: If we got one of these
players as our ambassador,
our motto could be ‘Waugh
on willows’
A: Cricket players
Cricket bats are made from
the cricket bat willow (Salix
alba var. coerulea)
Why identify willows?
To prevent the future spread and impacts of
problem willows:
Ease of spread by twigs/branches
1. How brittle are the branches?
Why identify willows?
Ease of hybridisation and spread by seed
• Is it a tree or shrub willow?
• Is it male or female or both?
• Does it produce viable seed?
* For hybridisation to occur and/or seed produced,
you must have:
• male and female catkins
• same subgenus
• flowering times overlap
‘Trees’ VS ‘Shrubs’
Features to look for:
• form
• twigs / branches
• bark
• leaves
• catkins (flowers)
‘Trees’ - form
multi-stemmed
single - stemmed
‘Trees’ - form
upright
weeping
10-20m tall at full size
‘Shrubs’ - form
always multi-stemmed
‘Shrubs’
always multi-stemmed
bark rather smooth (but
varies with age)
‘Trees’ - bark
Generally rough or fissured
Tree - twigs/branches
• Crack more easily
– Break off the twig/branch at its base
How easily and cleanly does it break?
‘Trees’ - leaves and catkins
• Long and narrow leaves
• Catkins emerge at same time as leaves
‘Shrubs’ - leaves and catkins
• Catkins often emerge before the leaves
Pussy willows
• Both leaves and catkins
short and oval-shaped
Osiers
• Both leaves and catkins long
and narrow
• Diff from ‘trees’ - often smooth
margins along leaf and many
stems
Form
Is this a tree or a shrub?
Bark
Leaves, stems & flowers
Bark
Leaves
Flowers
Twigs
Form
Form
Is this a tree or a shrub?
Bark
Is this a tree or a shrub?
Flowers and leaves?
Is this a tree or a shrub?
Twigs
Is this a tree or a shrub?
Grey sallow (Salix cinerea)
Leaves?
Bark
Flowers
Form
Shrub willow
Is it male or female?
Twigs