Almond-leaved willow
Salix triandra
The almond-leaved willow is a typically multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that prefers dynamic riverbanks and floodplain forests. A distinctive feature is the fissured bark, which flakes off in thin plates in older specimens, revealing a cinnamon-brown layer beneath. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, finely serrated, and visually resemble the leaves of the almond tree. As a pioneer plant, it plays a crucial role in stabilizing riparian zones and colonizing gravel banks.
Details
Oxygen production
Produces oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis during the growing season.
Habitat function
Important habitat for specialized beetle species and food plant for caterpillars.
Nutrient uptake
Absorbs nitrogen and phosphate from near-shore groundwater and surface water.
Food source for
Bees, bumblebees, hoverflies, caterpillars of the eyed hawkmoth.
Human use
High-quality material for basketry, formerly used for extracting salicylic acid from the bark.
Ecology
Ecological role
Pioneer plant in floodplain ecosystems, provides structure for insects and birds, stabilizes sediments.
Competitor species
Other willow species such as Salix alba or Salix viminalis.
Ecosystem service
Bank stabilization, erosion control, carbon sequestration, provision of nectar for pollinators.
Threats
River engineering, loss of natural floodplains, hybridization with other willows.
Scientific profile
Profile
Protection & threats
Main threats
River canalization and embankment, loss of natural floodplain dynamics, hybridization with other Salix species, lowering of the groundwater table.