284 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



On account of its rapid growth it is also planted in Germany for rods to be 

 used in wicker work. 



Solix rubra populifera* Langenauer blend willow. This hybrid origi- 

 nated at Langenau, near Mainz, in Germany, and is similar to the one men- 

 tioned above, except that it makes a more vigorous growth. 



Salix rubra sessifolia* Sessile-leafed blend willow. This willow origi- 

 nated in France and in rich soil yields a very large crop of rods. It is easily 

 distinguished by its sessile leaves and by its reddish tinge of the young shoots. 



Salix rubra viridis Greene. Red blend willow. This hybrid is cultivated 

 extensively in the upper Rhine region, where it gives extraordinary good 

 results and is highly esteemed as a basket willow of the first rank. 



Salix pontederana Koch.** Pontedera's willow. This is the same as Salix 

 cinerca x purpurea of Wimmer and is regarded as one of the most beautiful 

 and robust basket willows known. Like that of Salix purpurea gracilis Wim- 

 mer, it develops numerous side branches which render this hybrid almost 

 valueless. 



Salix calliantha And. Beautiful flowered blend willow. Kerner described 

 this willow as Salix purpurea x daphnoides. It is a very desirable basket 

 willow and produces very long branchless rods. The catkins are very large 

 and beautiful and the shoots are among the fir-st of the basket willows to start 

 growth in the spring. 



Salix mouternensis Kerner. Mautern's blend willow. This hybrid corre- 

 sponds exactly with Kerner's description of the characters of Salix caj/rea x 

 purpurea Wimmer, and the horticultural variety Salix discolor. It is very 

 productive and yields middling strong, branchless rods. In western Germany 

 it is highly esteemed as a basket willow. 



Salix doniana Smith. Don's blend willow. This willow was also described 

 by Wimmer under the name Salix repens x purpurea. It is suitable for plant- 

 ing in dry soil but does not yield a large crop of rods. 



Salix dichroa Doll. Double-colored blend wallow. Doll's hybrid is also 

 knowm under the name Salix aurita x purpurea glaucescens Wimmer. It is a 

 hybrid that is considered a botanical w^onder. and is more often planted for 

 hedges and ornamental purposes than it is for basket willow rods. 



ORIGIN^ DISTRIBUTION, AND REQUIREMENTS 



The purple willow is distributed through southern and middle Europe and 

 extends northward into Sweden and eastward to Moscow. It also inhabits 

 central Asia, but it occurs most abundantly along the Danube and in the val- 

 leys of the Alps. In the Bavarian Alps it grows at an elevation of 2,200 feet, 

 and in the Tyrolean Alps at 4,800 feet above sea level. It occurs most abund- 

 antly along rivers and in moist places generally. On mountains over 4,000 feet 

 elevation it seldom attains a height of more than 8 or 10 feet. At lower eleva- 

 tions it develops into a tree. 



It was first introduced into this country by German emigrants, and is now 

 the principal basket willow cultivated on a commercial scale. It is distributed 

 throughout the entire region in which basket willows are now grown. 



The purple willow is capable of enduring greater diversity of temperature 

 than any other basket willow. Its natural range, as above stated, extends from 

 Sweden south to Algeria and east into Asia. It is extensively cultivated in 



The authorities of these botanical names can not be determined except by further 

 research. 



This species must not be confused witli "Willdenow's species of this same name 

 belonging to the Viminales group. 



