Plants 4 Bees

The Salicaceae

The Salicaceae�the willow family is made up of approximately 500 species of deciduous trees and shrubs from only three genera, Salix, Populus and Chosenia. Only the first two are of any importance to beekeeping in North America. The Chosenia represents a single species from northeast Asia and is rare in North America. The other two genera have nearly worldwide distribution, but are most common in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. The leaves are simple, and nearly always are arranged alternately on their stems. The flowers are almost invariably unisexual, without petals and sepals, and are arranged in dense bundles known as catkins. The fruits are small capsules that contain many small seeds, each attached to a tuft of �hair� to facilitate wind dispersal. The bark is generally bitter and the wood, soft and lightweight.

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Rosaceae

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Rosaceae

Rubus spp

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Rubus spp

Salix

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Salix�the willows

The genus Salix is represented by approximately 300 species with an essentially worldwide distribution (exclusive of Australia), but the greatest number occur in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. While they range in size from creeping ground covers to tall trees, most would be considered either bushes or trees. They are generally woody, but some from alpine regions are nearly herbaceous. They are nearly all deciduous, usually with long, narrow (lanceolate) leaves that are almost always arranged alternately on the stem. The plants are nearly always unisexual and the flowers are arranged in densely packed structures known as catkins, which are usually in more or less erect positions. This last characteristic distinguishes them from the other major genus of the Salicaceae, Populus (the poplars), where the catkins are pendulous structures. The individual flowers of both sexes are drastically reduced, the males composed of 1 to 12 stamens and the female of a single compound ovary. Both have a small leaf-like structure (bract or scale) set off to the side of the sexual parts, and one or two, generally yellowish, nectaries at their base. There are no petals. The fruits are small capsules with many small seeds, each with a �tuft of hair� to facilitate transport in the wind. Most willows are adapted to moist habitats, but many survive in most soils. The seeds are vulnerable to desiccation and die quickly if stored under dry conditions. Most willows are easily propagated by cuttings. The wood is generally soft and weak.

In general, the willows have similar botanical characteristics, which vary to some extent with the habitat in which they are growing. In addition, many form hybrids readily. These traits make the taxonomy of the willows difficult. Cultivated specimens are especially difficult to identify. The consequences of this are seen in the number of synonyms that have been attached to many of the species (see below).

Many willows are prone to attack by honeydew producing insects, and at times considerable honey is made from this substance. Crane[2] warns that willow honeydew honey is unsuitable for winter stores.

Lamiaceae