Black Willow

Description

Digital representation of a willow tree on white background.

The genus Salix is composed of more than 200 species that grow naturally in Eurasia, and the New World. All species look identical at the cellular level. The word salix is the classical Latin name for Willow. Willow is native to all parts of the United States. Black Willow trees reach a height of 140 ft (43 m), with a diameter of 4 ft (1.2 m). Willow sapwood is light tan, with a pale brown heartwood. The wood is soft with a uniform texture, but is weak in physical and mechanical properties. It is difficult to machine or split and does not hold nails well. It is used for artificial limbs, box lumber, cabinetry, carvings, excelsior, factory lumber, fiber board, furniture, interior trim, novelties, paneling, polo balls, pulpwood, slack cooperage, toys, veneers and wooden shoes.

Close view of willow leaves hanging on a branch.

Tech Sheet

https://research.fs.usda.gov/silvics/black-willow

Other Common Names

Other common names include Dudley willow, Goodding willow, southeastern black willow, swamp walnut, swamp willow, tall black willow, western black willow, willow.

Characteristics

Characteristics found in the Willow (Salix sp.)

  • Diffuse porous
  • Simple perforations
  • I/V pits medium to large (8-50)
  • Hetrocellular, uniseriate rays
  • R/V pitting foraminate or salicoid

Slides (Click on each image to view a larger image)

WOOD SLIDES

Microscopes of radial section of Willow wood. Arrows point to square and procumbent ray cells.

Radial section of Willow (Salix showing heterocellular rays with upright cells.

Microscope slide of radial section of Willow wood at high magnification. Arrows point to procumbent and square cells.

Radial section of Willow (Salix sp.) showing square cells within the body of the ray (brackets).

Microscope slide of transverse section of Willow wood. Arrows point to earlywood vessels and growth ring boundary.
Microscope slide of transverse section of Willow wood at high magnification. Arrows point to the vessels, growth ring boundary, fibers, and rays.
Microscope slide of radial section of Willow wood. Arrows point to square cells and procumbent cells.
Microscope slide of radial section of Willow wood. Arrows point to the ray, ray-vessel pitting, and vessels.
Microscope slide of radial section of Willow wood at high magnification. Arrows point to ray-vessel pitting.
Microscope slide of radial section of Willow wood. Arrows define procumbent cells and square cells.
Microscope slide of tangential section of Willow wood. Arrows point to vessels and rays.
Microscope slide of tangential section of Willow wood at high magnification. Arrows point to inter-vessel pitting.
Microscope slide of tangential section of Willow wood. Arrows point to vessels and uniseriate type areas.

CHARCOAL SLIDES

Microscope slide of transverse section of Willow Charcoal. Arrows point to the growth rate boundaries.
Microscope slide of transverse section of Willow charcoal at high magnification. Arrows point to the growth ring boundary.
Microscope slide of tangential section of Willow. Charcoal arrows point to the inter-vessel pits.
Microscope slide of radial section of Willow charcoal. Arrows point to the rays.
Microscope slide of radial section of below charcoal. Arrows point to the procumbent ray cells and upright ray cells.
Microscope slide of tangential section of Willow charcoal. Arrows point to uniseriate type rays and inter-vessel pits.
Microscope slide of tangential surface of Willow charcoal. Arrows point to uniseriate type rays and inter-vessel pits.
Microscope slide of tangential section of Willow charcoal at high magnification. Arrows point to uniseriate type rays.