44 TREES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



Salix fragilis, L. 

 CRACK WILLOW. BRITTLE WILLOW. 



Habitat and Range. In low land and along river banks. 

 Indigenous in southwestern Asia, and in Europe where it 

 is extensively cultivated ; introduced into America probably 

 from England for use in basket-making, and planted at a 

 very early date in many of the colonial towns ; now exten- 

 sively cultivated, and often spontaneous in wet places and 

 along river banks, throughout New England and as far south 

 as Delaware. 



Habit. Tree often of great size ; attaining a maximum 

 height of 60-90 feet ; head open, wide-spreading ; branches 

 except the lowest rising at a broad angle ; branchlets reddish 

 or yellowish green, smooth and polished, very brittle at the 

 base. In 1&90 there was standing upon the Groom e estate, 

 Humphreys Street, Dorchester, Mass., a willow of this species 

 about 60 feet high, 28 feet 2 inches in girth five feet from 

 the ground, with a spread of 110 feet (Typical Elms and 

 other Trees of Massachusetts, p. 85). 



Bark. Bark of the trunk gray, smooth in young trees, in 

 old trees very rough, irregularly ridged, sometimes cleaving 

 off in large plates. 



Winter Buds and Leaves. Buds about 1 inch long, reddish- 

 brown, narrow-conical. Leaves simple, alternate, 2-6 inches 

 long, smooth, dark green and shining above, pale or glaucous 

 beneath and somewhat pubescent when young ; outline lan- 

 ceolate, glandular-serrate ; apex long-acuminate ; tapering to 

 an acute or obtuse base ; leafstalk short, glandular at the 

 top ; stipules half-cordate when present, soon falling. 



Inflorescence. April to May. Catkins appearing with the 

 leaves, spreading, stalked, sterile 1-2 inches long ; stamens 

 2-4, usually 2 ; filaments distinct, pubescent below ; ovary 

 abortive : fertile catkins slender ; stigma nearly sessile ; cap- 

 sule long-conical, smooth, short-stalked. 



Horticultural Value. Hardy throughout New England ; 

 grows best near streams, but adapts itself readily to all rich, 



