Salix acmophylla Boiss.

Description :

A small, deciduous tree up to 9 m tall with a diameter of 50 to 70 cm. The trunk is straight, and the crown is rounded, with pendulous branches. The leaves are simple, 5 to 12.5 cm long and 0.5 to 2 cm wide. It is dioecious. The male catkins are 2.5 to 5 cm long and the female catkins are 2.5 to 5 cm long. The catkins appear after the leaves have flushed. Flowering and seed production occurs between February and April. It does not coppice. It has no significant disease or insect problems. It is reproduced from seed and by vegetative means However most tree result from root suckers or cutting. Seed viability is low. It is relatively fast growing. Diameter growth of 0.7 to 2.5 cm/yr has been reported. Grains are straight, fine, and even textured, having specific gravity of 0.46.

Distribution :

The tree is native to parts of the Middle East, and the Sub-continent. In Pakistan it is found in the Karakorum, and in the Himalaya and Sub-Himalayan tract. It is specific to Azad Kashmir, Salt Range, Murree Hills, Hazara, Swat, Chitral, Gilgit Baltistan, Kurram and the mountains of Balochistan. It has been successfully planted in the plains, usually along water courses. An intolerant tree that grows on a variety of well drained sites along water courses. It is adapted to a precipitation zone of 750 to 1250 mm/yr or more, in a temperature range of -20 to 35°C. It prefers an arid, cool-cold, sub-tropical climate and is frost hardy within an elevation range of 300 to 1600 m.

Uses :

Its fast growth and large size make this a very desirable tree for use in farm forestry programs especially on wet sites. It is also a good tree to use on fragile hills to control erosion. Also used as fuel, dye, erosion control and reforestation, pulp, and fodder.