White willow

A plant rich in medicinal virtues

The white willow (Salix alba, family Salicaceae) is a large, fast-growing tree,

it reaches a height of 6 to 25 meters and the trunk can have a diameter of 1 meter. It is a plant that needs moist, muddy or sandy soil, and can also remain submerged in water from time to time. It is in fact one of the most common trees along the banks of waterways.

If moved by the wind, the mane of the white willow stands out for the silver reflection of its leaves.

Bloom takes place in early spring, between March and April. Each plant bears both male and female flowers, in clustered inflorescences, called catkins. These are very welcome flowers to bees for the abundant production of pollen and nectar.

Did you know?

The famous aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), produced in 1899, is a derivative of salicylic acid, a molecule that has been isolated from white willow bark, as well as from another plant, meadowsweet.

LIFE Programme United Nations Biodiversity

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