Goat willow
Salix caprea
A pioneer bee tree - its fuzzy catkins are one of the first pollen sources of spring - plus fast coppice biomass. Tolerates drier ground than most willows but seeds around freely.
Goat willow in a syntropic line
Goat willow belongs in the Medium layer as a Secondary biomass species. The productive heart — most of your yield lives here. Rough in-row spacing starts around 1.6 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Avocado, Black mulberry. As a Secondary species it carries mid-term yield and structure while climax trees slowly claim the canopy.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Medium
- Lifecycle
- Secondary
- Soil preference
- Loam, Clay
- Soil pH range
- 5.5 – 7.5
- Min. temperature
- -30°C
- Min. rainfall
- 600 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- Medium
- Frost tolerance
- High
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Irrigation needed
- Medium
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Waterlogging tolerance
- High
- Origin
- Europe
- Native to Portugal
- Yes
How to manage it
Vital early-spring bee forage (catkins) plus fast coppice biomass; tolerates drier ground than most willows and pioneers disturbed sites well.
How to propagate
Push dormant hardwood cuttings into moist ground in late autumn — they root as readily as any willow.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Dioecious - needs both sexes nearby for seed, but self-seeds readily on damp disturbed ground and can become weedy; wood is brittle and prone to storm damage.
Frequently asked questions about Goat willow
Is goat willow frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -30°C when dormant, with high frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does goat willow need?
It does best on loam, clay ground, at pH about 5.5–7.5.
How much water does goat willow need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 600 mm/year, plus medium irrigation once established.
Can goat willow handle wet or waterlogged soil?
Yes — goat willow has high waterlogging tolerance and copes with winter-wet ground.
What should I watch out for with goat willow?
Dioecious - needs both sexes nearby for seed, but self-seeds readily on damp disturbed ground and can become weedy; wood is brittle and prone to storm damage.
Design your line to see how your land fits Goat willow.
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