Goat willow
Salix caprea
MediumPlacenta
Fast biomass
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.
Tolerances & traits
- Strata
- Medium
- Lifecycle
- Placenta
- 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
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.
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.
Design your line to see how your land fits Goat willow.
Start designing your line →Related species