of New York 



43 



BLACK WILLOW 



Salix nigra, Marshall 



THE BLACK WILLOW reaches the largest size and has the 

 widest distribution of any native American Willow. It 

 is the only native willow of timber size, sometimes reaching 

 a height of 80 feet and a diameter of 4 feet. 



It can always be distinguised by its simple, alternate, long, 

 narrow, sharp-point- 

 ed leaves, 3 to 5 

 inches long. At the 

 base of the short leaf- 

 stalk round leaf-like 

 appendages often 

 clasp the twigs. 



The flowers are of 

 two different kinds. 

 Both are arranged in 

 short stubby spikes. 



The pollen - bearing 

 and seed - producing 

 always occur on dif- 

 ferent tree. The seeds 

 are minute, bear 

 dense tufts of long 

 silky down, occur in 

 large numbers in 

 small capsules on 

 drooping tassels. 



The bark varies 

 from light brown to 

 dark brown and 

 black. On old 

 trunks it becomes 

 furrowed and peels 

 off in scales. The 

 branches are slender, brittle, somewhat drooping. The buds 

 are sharp-pointed, Yi of an inch long, covered by a single 

 reddish-brown scale. 



The wood is pale reddish-brown, used chiefly in boxes, 

 excelsior, charcoal, pulp, artificial limbs. 



The Black Willow occurs from New Brunswick to Flor- 

 ida, west to the Dakotas and southern Mexico. It is gener- 

 ally distributed throughout New York, but is rare above 

 2,000 feet in the Adirondacks and in the pine barrens of 

 Long Island. One usually finds it in wet places, but it will 

 grow on dry situations. 



BLACK WILLOW 

 One-fourth natural size, except 2, 4, 6 and 8 

 which are enlarged. 



