Honey bees
Nectar value
High
Pollen value
High
Pollinator plant
Crack Willow
Salix fragilis
Linked agroforestry plant data
Pollinator recipe
Plant photos
2 photos · Select to enlarge
Salix × fragilis with leafy branches overhanging the ground.
(c) nick_goldwater / iNaturalist / CC BY 4.0
Photo details
Resized and converted to WebP. No content edits.
Source: iNaturalist photo 30021967
View the observation and community identifications on iNaturalist.
Reviewed . The photographed view, exact taxon scope, current community identifications, per-photo license and source attribution were reviewed. The observation has at least two current agreeing community identifiers and no conflicting current species identification. The image illustrates plant appearance; it does not establish botanical measurements.
Leaves and young twigs of Salix × fragilis.
(c) Todd Boland / iNaturalist / CC BY 4.0
Photo details
Resized and converted to WebP. No content edits.
Source: iNaturalist photo 113712665
View the observation and community identifications on iNaturalist.
Reviewed . The photographed view, exact taxon scope, current community identifications, per-photo license and source attribution were reviewed. The observation has at least two current agreeing community identifiers and no conflicting current species identification. The image illustrates plant appearance; it does not establish botanical measurements.
Common names
5 names · 3 languages- EnglishYour language
-
- Brittle Willow
- Crack Willow
Other languages (2)
- Dutch
-
- Basterdkraakwilg
- Kraakwilg
- French
-
- Saule fragile
Sources & name notes
Names recorded in our plant catalogue, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.
Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.
Plant references
Source-backed information
Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.
- Botanical family
-
Salicaceae
Genus-level classification for Salix; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.
Sources [1]
Catalogue ratings
Who this plant supports
Agroforestry database
Complete plant information
Structure
- Vegetation layer
- Tree
- Size
- Medium
- Dimensions
- 15.00 m high × 15.00 m wide
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Deciduous
Site conditions
- USDA hardiness
- 4-8
- Moisture
- Moist, Wet
- Soil
- Sandy, Loamy, Clay
- pH
- Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
- Light
- Sun
Uses
- Edible parts
- Leaves, Inner bark, Tea
- Functions
- Basketry, Charcoal, Pioneer plant, Windbreak, Timber, Pollinator plant
- Edibility
- 1 out of 5
- Medicinal value
- 3 out of 5
The inner bark of this plant can be eaten both raw and cooked. After drying, the bark can be ground into powder and added to grain flour for bread-making, for example. The inner bark tastes very bitter, especially when fresh, and is even consumed as food during times of famine. The leaves and young shoots of the plant can also be eaten raw or cooked, although they are not very tasty. They serve as a food source during scarcity or famine, and the leaves can even be used as a tea substitute.
Sources and references
References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.
-
Catalogue of Life
Salix — Catalogue of Life COL26.8
COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.
Supports: Botanical familyRelevant sections
- Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 2689067; ID 7BWB; rank genus; status accepted
Source checked on .
Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.