Bay willow

Do you want to plant a Bay willow? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the Bay willow, and on pruning and caring for your Bay willow.
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General characteristics of a Bay willow

The laurel willow is a medium-sized tree or large shrub known for its narrow, glossy leaves that resemble those of bay laurel. This species can reach a height of 10 to 15 meters and thrives in moist environments, such as along rivers and in marshy areas. The laurel willow blooms in early spring with yellow or green catkins, which are an important source of nectar for bees and other pollinators.

 

 

 

 

 


 

Characteristics


How to plant a Bay willow

Usually supplied as self-rooting twigs of 1-3 m long; plant as deep as possible, 40-60 cm into the ground, preferably until a depth where the soil is moist, and preferably from mid-February to late March. Less chance of success in November/December.

 

How to harvest a Bay willow

Collect branches from the mothertree (by pollarding) or seelings.

Caring for and pruning your Bay willow

Prune once a year to keep the tree in shape.

Where does a Bay willow grow

Sunny, sometimes half shady locations on wet, fairly nutrient-poor, slightly acidic soil (sand and peat).

Grows primarily in dense blue-grass meadows, waterfronts, dune slacks, dense quaking bogs and stream valley marshes, swamp forests, riverside forests, and marsh scrub.

 


General

Origin
Native
Tree Type Deciduous tree

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 6 Up to 10 Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years 3 Up to 5 year
Maximum Age 30 Up to 50 year
Required Space 30 Up to 50m2
Growth Rate

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating No
Reproduction Method
To be pollarded (the slit is approximately 2m)
Makes seedlings
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen No
Summer No pruning in summer
Winter February tot March
Leaf Shapes Lanceolate
Easy to prune Yes

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Lenticels Yes
Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position
Varied
Bud Shape
Egg-shaped

Other

Root
Superficial rooting
Bloom
Has catkins
Wind sensitivity Moderately sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases
Watermark disease (Willow)

Harvest/recognition in winter

This is an evergreen with glossy leaves. 

Light requirement of the Bay willow

The Bay willow thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun

    • Suitable soil types for the Bay willow

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Bay willow to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the Bay willow

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Bay willow in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the Bay willow

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does Bay willow like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant?
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Beetles
    Lice
    Bumblebees
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant?
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer March Up to April

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Human
    Beavers
    Badgers
    Squirrel
    Ferret
    Goat
    Herbivorous rodents
    Deer
    Dog
    Cat
    Chicken
    Cow
    Mouse
    Horse
    Roe deer
    Sheep
    Pig
    Foxes
    Wild boar

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average

    Information not available

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average

    Information not available

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). No
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree Bay willow looks like

    A mature bay willow tree
    Bay willows in winter time

    This is what the fruits of a Bay willow look like

    Fruit with fluff of the bay willow

    This is what a Bay willow in bloom looks like

    Bay willow in bloom ( feminin )
    Bay willow in bloom ( masculin )

    This is what the bud of a Bay willow looks like

    Buds of the bay willow

    This is what the leaf of a Bay willow looks like

    Leaf of the bay willow
    Leaf of the bay willow