Trees of New York State 117 



SALICACEAE 



tSalix alba, var. vitellina (L.) Koch. [Salix vitellina L.; Salix blanda 



Anders.] 



Golden Osier 



Habit — A large tree, under favorable conditions sometimes becoming 70-100 

 feet in height with a trunk diameter of 3-6 feet. Bole short, stout, 

 irregular, dividing near the ground into several large, obliquely ascending 

 branches which form a somewhat irregular, broad and rounded crown. 



Leaves — Alternate, short-petioled, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 2-5 inches 

 long %-% of an inch wide, acuminate at the apex, wedge-shaped at 

 the base, finely serrate, at maturity dark green and glabrous or slightly 

 hairy above, glaucous, glabrous or close silky-white hairy beneath. 

 Stipules ovate-lanceolate, fugacious. 



Flowers — Appearing in April or May, dioecious, glandular, borne in the axils 

 of yellow, narrowly ovate bracts, the whole forming aments terminal on 

 short, leafy branchlets. Staminate aments oblong-cylindrical, densely 

 flowered, l-S^^ inches long, yellowish. Pistillate aments linear-cylin- 

 drical and whitish at maturity. Stamens 2, with long, smooth filaments 

 and yellow anthers. Pistil solitary, consisting of a smooth, short- 

 pedicellate, narrowly ovoid ovary and 2 nearly sessile stigmas. 



Pruit — 'A brownish, nearly sessile, smooth, ovoid-conie capsule, opening by 2 

 opposite sutures to set free the minute comose seeds. 



Winter characters — Twigs slender, rather brittle at the base, finely hairy 

 at first, at length smooth and lustrous, bright yellow, becoming yellowish 

 brown. Terminal bud lacking. Lateral buds 1-scaled, oblong to ovoid, 

 rounded at the apex, closely appressed, greenish yellow. Mature bark 

 dark gray, deeply furrowed, with prominent, scaly ridges. 



Habitat — • Typically found along stream courses Avhere there is abundant 

 moisture, spreading by suckers and natural cuttings, rarely through 

 seeds. Thrives well on moist uplands. 



Range — A species originally introduced from Europe for shade and orna- 

 ment, now widely naturalized in eastern North America. Zones A, B 

 and C. 



Uses ■ — • Of value chiefly as a shade and ornamental tree. Sometimes planted 

 along water courses to prevent erosion as it is readily propagated by 

 cuttings and grows rapidly. Wood light, soft, close-gi-ained, tough, light 

 brown with thick, nearly white sapwood. Used for light fuel and charcoal. 



