40 Common Trees 



WIDELY INTRODUCED WILLOWS 



THREE Willows have been widely introduced into Ohio. 

 They are the Weeping Willow, the White Willow, and 

 the Crack Willow. 



The Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica, Linnaeus) a 

 native of Asia, was introduced into the United States in 

 1702 by a famous botanist named Tournefort. Sometimes 

 this tree is called Napoleon Willow because of its association 

 with the great French general during his exile. It has been 

 planted widely in Ohio. This tree can always be distin- 

 guished by its weeping habit. Its long, drooping branches 

 are distinctive, and when young they are tough and pliable, 

 but later become brittle. Its leaves are simple, alternate, 

 4 to 7 inches long; in shape they resemble the Black Willow 

 and in color those of the White Willow. The Weeping 

 Willow is the most widely distributed of all introduced 

 willows. 



The White Willow (Salix alba, Linnaeus), a native of 

 Europe, was brought to America by the early settlers. It 

 is now found from the Atlantic to the Pacific and is given 

 planting preference where erosion and landslides are to be 

 stopped. It is found locally throughout Ohio as an orna- 

 mental tree. In some places it has escaped cultivation. This 

 tree sometimes reaches a height of 70 feet and a diameter of 

 4 feet. The leaves are simple, alternate, 2 to 4 inches long, 

 one-third to two-fifths of an inch wide, finely toothed along 

 edge. When young the leaves are pale green and hairy on 

 both sides, but when mature they are distinctly white only 

 on the lower surface, whence the name White Willow. 



The Crack Willow (Salix fragilis, Linnaeus) , a native of 

 Europe and northern Asia, has been planted widely in 

 America, especially in the prairie states. It is found locally 

 in Ohio, particularly about the earlier settlements. It is 

 readily distinguished from the White Willow by its yel- 

 lowish-green twigs and larger leaves, which are 3 to 6 inches 

 long, >4 to 1 inch wide, coarsely toothed along margin. 

 The branches are so brittle that they crack oflF easily in a 

 slight breeze, whence the appropriate name Crack Willow. 

 After a storm the ground beneath this tree is often completely 

 covered with twigs and branches. 



