Crack willow
A common willow of riverbanks; male catkins opening with the leaves in April give abundant yellow pollen and female catkins nectar, key for spring build-up.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Good
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 10-20 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Crack willow is known for its twigs, which snap off easily at the joint. Today most botanists regard this tree as a hybrid between white willow (Salix alba) and Salix euxina. Willows are dioecious: the catkins of male trees give plenty of pollen, those of female trees give nectar. Honey bees visit both heavily.
Flowering
It flowers between April and early May, at the same time as the leaves come out, a little after goat willow. On sunny days above 12-14 °C, bee traffic increases markedly.
Honey and pollen
It has no honey of its own; the nectar and pollen go straight into brood rearing. The pollen loads are bright yellow. Aphids may produce small amounts of honeydew in early summer.
Note for the beekeeper
It roots very easily from cuttings; a few male trees planted along a stream or canal noticeably close the spring pollen gap. In the wild, depending on the region, either male-only or female-only clones may dominate.