Purple Willow
| Purple Willow Conservation status: Secure | ||||||||||||||
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| Missing image Illustration_Salix_purpurea0.jpg Purple Willow illustration | ||||||||||||||
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| Salix purpurea L. |
The Purple Willow or Purple Osier (Salix purpurea) is a species of willow native to most of Europe and western Asia. It is a shrub to 1-2 m tall. The leaves are 2-8 cm long and 1-2 cm wide, and, unusually for a willow, often arranged in opposite pairs rather than alternate. The flowers are small catkins, produced in early spring; they are often purple in colour, whence the name of the species (other willows mostly have whitish, yellow or green catkins).
This willow species is often used in basketry.