Osier - Salix viminalis

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Description

A shrub or small tree to 5 metres. Shoots long and flexible, shiny and yellow brown when mature. Leaves long and narrow, untoothed, green above, silvery and shiny beneath, the edges turned down slightly. Catkins narrow, 1.5 to 3cm appearing before the leaves and crowded at the shoot tips.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Water margins and wet places.

When to see it

March and April.

Life History

Deciduous.

UK Status

Quite common throughout lowland Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 193 of the 617 tetrads.

  • Saharima Roenisch
    Knighton Park
    20 September 2020
  • Steve Mathers
    Watermead Park (South)
    28 October 2016
  • David Nicholls
    Watermead Country Park
    27 September 2013
  • Steve Mathers
    Grantham Canal (Hose to Harby)
    18 April 2017
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    06 April 2008
    Catkins
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    25 March 2008
    Winter plant
  • stepgray4
    Footpath off Station Rd, Old Dalby
    24 July 2021
  • Saharima Roenisch
    Leicester Victoria Park, Eco-area
    08 August 2019
  • David Nicholls
    Cossington
    11 October 2011

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Osier, Common Osier
Species group:
Trees, Shrubs & Climbers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Malpighiales
Family:
Salicaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
82
First record:
01/07/1998 (John Mousley)
Last record:
24/08/2023 (O'Brien, Helen)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • AnnGleave
    Bath St to river LEV
    21 September 2021
  • AnnGleave
    Bath St to river LEV
    21 September 2021
  • AnnGleave
    Bath St to river LEV
    21 September 2021
  • Andy's Rutland
    Love's Lane-Empingham
    17 August 2018
  • Saharima Roenisch
    Knighton Park
    20 September 2020
  • Steve Mathers
    Grantham Canal (Hose to Harby)
    01 August 2016
  • Saharima Roenisch
    Leicester Ellis Medaows
    14 July 2019
  • Steve Mathers
    River Soar (south of Ratcliffe on Soar)
    19 November 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    04 May 2008
    Leaves