Etymological Source
It is well known and recognized that willows grow near water sources. In fact, the Latin name for the genus of willows is *Salix*, and various etymological sources report that *Salix* originates from *Sallis* in the Celtic language, which means near (sal) the water (lis). This makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
Family
Willows belong to the Salicaceae family, which also includes the poplars or *Populus*. There are about 200 species of willows in the world, with approximately a hundred in America, including around forty that can be observed in Quebec. However, it is difficult to distinguish one species of willow from another. It requires several parts of the plant to confirm the identification, and these parts do not exist simultaneously on the same individual. Additionally, as willows are often used ornamentally, there are many escaped cultivars, making identification even more challenging.
Characteristics
Beyond this taxonomic difficulty, willows share several general traits that, together, allow them to be easily distinguished from other tree species in our forests. First, willow leaves are described as entire and simple. They are narrow, short-petioled, and almost always alternate. The leaves of some species have a tomentose underside, meaning they are densely hairy, giving them a fuzzy appearance. The buds are always composed of a single scale.
Additionally, willows are dioecious species, meaning the flowers are unisexual, similar to animals. Therefore, there are male and female individuals, although there are always exceptions to confirm a rule. Moreover, the flowers are petal-less. This characteristic does not deter bees and other native pollinators from frequenting them widely in spring. In fact, cross-pollination is carried out by these pollinators. In our latitudes, willow flowers are among the first woody native species to bloom in the spring. They are an important source of protein, provided by the pollen of the male flowers, and nectar, from the female flowers, for pollinators at this time. In several willow species, “catkins” can be easily observed as early as the end of February, in some years in southern Quebec, whose swelling pushes apart the scales of the floral buds to reveal them. The catkins, which are actually clusters of many small tightly packed flowers, are named so because they are densely covered with short fuzzy hairs, resembling little kittens. These soft hairs protect the delicate flowers in cold weather, which is common in spring. This is also why willow flowers are petal-less. Nonetheless, they are no less remarkable!
Willows, however, have a reputation for clogging drains near buildings and contributing to the deterioration of foundations. This reputation is based on their high water demand. This characteristic allows them to be at the heart of an important ecological niche. Indeed, their presence contributes to stabilizing riverbanks throughout the year. The very flexible stems, formed of softwood, allow them to easily bend under the passage of ice during spring thaws. Even if the stem breaks, its incredible capacity to root through cuttings allows it to re-establish further along the bank. At Ramo, all these characteristics of willows are harnessed, being at the core of the phytotechnologies we develop to solve environmental issues.
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