| Salix purpurea | |
|---|---|
| Catkins | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Salicaceae |
| Genus: | Salix |
| Species: | S. purpurea |
| Binomial name | |
| Salix purpurea L. |
|
Salix purpurea (Purple Willow or Purple Osier) is a species of willow native to most of Europe and western Asia north to the British Isles, Poland, and the Baltic States.[1][2][3]
It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1-3 m (rarely to 5 m) tall, with purple-brown to yellow-brown shoots, turning pale grey on old stems. The leaves are 2-8 cm (rarely to 12 cm) long and 0.3-1 cm (rarely 2 cm) wide; they are dark green above, glaucous green below, and unusually for a willow, are often arranged in opposite pairs rather than alternate. The flowers are small catkins 1.5-4.5 cm long, produced in early spring; they are often purple or red in colour, whence the name of the species (other willows mostly have whitish, yellow or green catkins). Use - The wood of this type of species is used in making cricket bat.[2][3]
It is replaced further east in Asia by the closely related species Salix sinopurpurea (syn. S. purpurea var. longipetiolatea).[4]
As with several other willows, the shoots, called withies, are often used in basketry.[3]