Family: willows (Salicaceae)
Flowering time: March–April
Size: up to 6 m
Habitat: riverbanks, swamps, riffles and quarries
Red willow (Salix purpurea) is a pioneer species, as it is among the first woody plants to colonize undisturbed space. It grows into a shrub with slender scarlet or yellow-brown twigs. It flowers before leafing, and its tiny flowers form inflorescences – catkins. Willows are dioecious. We will most easily recognize the red willow during flowering by its male flower, in which there are two stamens, but they have grown together to give the impression of one. The outer scale (at the base of the stamen) is bi-colored, dark on top, light below. The stamens are initially red, later yellow. Fully developed (summer) lanceolate leaves are completely glabrous. They are up to 12 cm long, widest in the upper third. Their edge is finely serrated.
The red willow thrives on moist soils and is widespread throughout Slovenia.
