The willow has long been associated with romantic sadness and even mourning.
It was customary for those “forsaken in love” to wear a garland of willow. Willows frequently appear in poems of lost love and Ophelia drowned herself by a willow.
When the Israelites found themselves by the waters of Babylon they wept, remembering Zion, and hung their harps on willow.
Willow branches have been used instead of palms to celebrate Palm Sunday, and country people customarily wore sprigs of pussy willow in their lapels around the same time of year.
Willow was believed to be full of magical powers, including the ability to locate water (divining) and to cast spells. Wands were often made of willow. |
Willows have catkins, which are mainly insect pollinated. They are popular for decoration, especially the ‘pussy willow’ catkins in spring.
Straight poles are produced from willows which have been ‘pollarded’ (cut off at head height) The poles re-grow every time the tree is cut.
Willows are attacked by many different gall-forming parasites like insects and mites. These cause unusual shaped or coloured growths on the tree called ’galls’, which usually contain the creature’s larvae. One looks like a witch’s broom, and is caused by a gall mite. Another causes red lumps on the leaves.
Traditionally willow wood is used to make cricket bats. It is light and rather soft.
However its main economic use is to make baskets.
A commonly used drug, aspirin, was originally developed from the bark of the white willow. |
