Olive Willow - Salix elaeagnos

Description

A bushy shrub with very narrow, linear leaves which are grey-hairy when young, becoming dark green above and whitish below. Slender catkins open with the leaves in early spring.

Similar Species

Similar to Salix viminalis.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

The County Recorder has asked for a specimen of this plant to be retained for verification

Habitat

Planted as a garden shrub and occasionally escaping into the wild.

When to see it

Flowering in April and early May.

Life History

Deciduous shrub.

UK Status

Widespread scattered records in Britain.

VC55 Status

Uncommon or under recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland. It was not recorded in the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Olive Willow
Species group:
Trees, Shrubs & Climbers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Malpighiales
Family:
Salicaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
1
First record:
28/04/2017 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
28/04/2017 (Calow, Graham)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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