Appearance
"Salix triandra" is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 10 m tall, usually multistemmed, with an irregular, often leaning crown. Young bark is smooth grey-brown, becoming scaly on older stems with large scales exfoliating to leave orange-brown patches. The leaves are broad, lanceolate, 4–11 cm long and 1–3 cm wide, with a serrated margin; they are dull dark green above and green to glaucous-green below, with a 1–2-cm petiole with two conspicuous basal stipules.The flowers are produced in catkins in early spring at the same time as the new leaves, and pollinated by insects. They are dioecious, with male and female catkins on separate trees; the male catkins are 2.5–8 cm long, the female catkins 2–4 cm long. The male flowers have three stamens, a useful identification feature with most other willows having two or five stamens.
Uses
The plant is a potential biomass source for biofuel energy generation.In the Russian honey industry, the plant is used as a nectar source for honeybees.
;Basket weaving
The shoots are extensively used for basketmaking. It is one of the most important willows for this purpose after "Salix viminalis", with several selected cultivars including: 'Black Maul', 'Grizette', 'Mottled Spaniards', 'Sarda', and 'Yellow Dutch'.
Woven withies have been used in the creation of the large outdoor sculpture "Willow Man", located near Bridgwater in England.
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