WRW #15: Crack Willow
The cache, a camo-taped bison tube, is hidden in this huge sprawling crack willow closest to the Dales Way footpath.
To reach the cache location: either a) from the east: follow the Dales Way from WRW #14 and then pick up a small side trail leading down towards the river and cache or b) from the west: park at N 53 55.927 W 1 51.611 off the east side of Old Ilkley Road and follow the Dalesway for some 350m to the cache location.
The crack or brittle willow (Salix fragilis) is a species of willow native to riparian habitatsin Europe and Western Asia, usually found growing beside rivers and streams, and in marshes and water meadow channels.
It is a medium-large deciduous tree, which grows rapidly up to 20m (66’) tall, with a trunk up to 1m (3.3') diameter, often multi-trunked, and an irregular, often leaning crown. The bark is dark grey-brown, and coarsely fissured in older trees. The lanceolate (lance-shaped) leaves are bright green, 9-15cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide, with a finely serrated margin; they are very finely hairy at first in spring, but soon become hairless.
The flowers are produced in catkins in early spring, and pollinated by insects. In late spring fruit capsules release numerous small cotton-tufted seeds. They are easily distributed by wind and moving water, and germinate immediately after soil contact.
It is commonly called crack willow or brittle willow because it is highly susceptible to wind, ice and snow damage. The name also derives from the twigs which break off very easily and cleanly at the base with an audible crack. Broken twigs and branches can take root readily, enabling the species to colonise new areas as broken twigs fall into waterways and can be carried some distance downstream. It is particularly good at colonising new riverside sandbanks formed after floods. It also spreads by root suckers, expanding into pure 'groves'.
Because it spreads so easily, in some parts of the world it is regarded as an invasive species.
Value to wildlife: caterpillars of several moth species feed on the foliage, including the puss moth, eyed hawk-moth and red underwing. The catkins provide an important source of
early nectar and pollen for bees and other insects, and the branches make good nesting and roosting sites for birds.
Mythology and symbolism: all willows were seen as trees of celebration in biblical times, but this changed over time and today willows are more associated with sadness and mourning. Willow is often referred to in poetry in this way, and is depicted as such in Shakespeare's Hamlet, with Ophelia drowning near a willow tree. In northern areas, willow branches are used instead of palm branches to celebrate Palm Sunday.
Uses: willows are prized for their slender, flexible stems, which have been used for many years to weave baskets and 'cribs' for animal food. Larger stems were traditionally used to make small sailing boats. A hybrid of the white willow and crack willow is the cricket bat willow. The fresh bark of all willows contains salicine which is metabolised to salicylic acid (aspirin). See here for the interesting history of aspirin and use of willow extracts.