Taxon:  Salix ×fragilis L.



Summary
Genus:
Salix
Family:
Salicaceae
Nomen number:
32711
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 2:1017.  1753
Hybrid parentage:
= Salix alba × S. euxina
Comment:
a proposal for conservation (nom. cons.) with a conserved type (Shenzhen ICN Art. 14.9) on a mainly s.e. European species has failed, but the name has now been typified on a widespread European hybrid
Verified:
11/07/1985 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
8 (2  active, 1  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Salix ×fragilis L. f. bullata (Rehder) Rehder (0 active accession[s])
Salix ×fragilis L. f. fragilis (0 active accession[s])
Salix ×fragilis L. nothovar. basfordiana (Scaling ex J. Salter) Bean (0 active accession[s])
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Autonym(s)
Salix ×fragilis L. var. fragilis

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Salix ×fragilis L. var. decipiens W. D. J. Koch
Salix decipiens Hoffm.

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Salix ×rubens Schrank
Salix ×rubens Schrank var. rubens
Salix excelsior Host

No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. Argus, G. W. 1986. The genus Salix (Salicaceae) in the southeastern United States. Syst. Bot. Monogr. 9:78.
  4. Barrie, F. R. 2011. Report of the General Committee: 11. Taxon 60:1212. Note: conservation proposal not recommended
  5. Belyaeva, I. 2009. Nomenclature of Salix fragilis L. and a new species, S. euxina (Salicaceae). Taxon 58:1344-1348. Note: lectotypifies on the European hybrid
  6. Boutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
  7. Brummitt, R. K. 2009. Report of the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants: 60. Taxon 58:280. Note: conservation proposal, to typify on the s.e. European species, not recommended
  8. Campbell, F. T., ed. 1995. Report of National Coalition of Exotic Plant Pest Councils (unpublished draft)
  9. Christensen, K. I. & B. Jonsell. 2005. (1698) Proposal to conserve the name Salix fragilis with a conserved type (Salicaceae). Taxon 54:555-556. Note: proposes typification on a mainly s.e. European species
  10. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  11. Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
  12. Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
  13. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
  14. Goodding, L. N. 1940. Willows in Region VIII : notes on their classification, distribution and present significance: with suggestions for their use in erosion control. Albuquerque Regional Bull. Soil Conserv. Serv. U.S.D.A. 65:1-12.
  15. Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
  16. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
  17. Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
  18. Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.
  19. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  20. Krüssmann, G. 1984. Manual of cultivated broad-leaved trees and shrubs (English translation of Handbuch der Laubgehölze. 1976)
  21. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  22. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  23. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  24. Pohjonen, V. 1991. Selection of species and clones for biomass willow forestry in Finland. Acta Forest. Fenn. 221:18.
  25. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  26. Stott, K. G. 1992. Willows in the service of man. Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh 98B:169-182.
  27. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  28. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1993. Flora europaea, ed. 2.
  29. Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
  30. 2018. Mid-Atlantic invasive plant species (on-line resource)
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishbrittle willow  1Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Englishcrack willow  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Englishhybrid crack willow as Salix ×rubens1Stace, C. 1995. New flora of the British Isles. Note: as Salix ×rubens
Frenchsaule cassant  2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
GermanBruch-Weide  2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
GermanFahl-Weide as Salix ×rubens2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
Germanhohe Weide as Salix ×rubens2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
GermanKnackweide  2Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
Swedishknäckepil  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalAzores  
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth Africa  Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateCaucasusGeorgia  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateCaucasusRussian Federation-CiscaucasiaCiscaucasia Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  Belyaeva, I. 2009. Nomenclature of Salix fragilis L. and a new species, S. euxina (Salicaceae). Taxon 58:1344-1348. Note: lectotypifies on the European hybrid
4NaturalizedAustralasiaNew ZealandNew Zealand   
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeBelarus  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeEstonia  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeLatvia  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeLithuania  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeMoldova  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeRussian Federation-European partEuropean part Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeUkraine incl. KrymJalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeAustria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeBelgium  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeCzech Republic  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeGermany  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeHungary  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeNetherlands  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropePoland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeSlovakia  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeSwitzerland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBosnia and Herzegovina  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeCroatia  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeMontenegro  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeNorth Macedonia  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeRomania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeSerbia  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeSlovenia  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedNorthern America Canada  Belyaeva, I. 2009. Nomenclature of Salix fragilis L. and a new species, S. euxina (Salicaceae). Taxon 58:1344-1348. Note: lectotypifies on the European hybrid
4NaturalizedNorthern America United States  Belyaeva, I. 2009. Nomenclature of Salix fragilis L. and a new species, S. euxina (Salicaceae). Taxon 58:1344-1348. Note: lectotypifies on the European hybrid
6Other    exact native range in Europe obscureJalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Portugal [Azores]
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: South Africa
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Turkey
  • CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia], Georgia
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
  • NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand
Europe
  • MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym)
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France (incl. Corsica)
Northern America
  • REGION: Canada, United States
Other (exact native range in Europe obscure)

Reference(s)
  1. Belyaeva, I. 2009. Nomenclature of Salix fragilis L. and a new species, S. euxina (Salicaceae). Taxon 58:1344-1348. Note: lectotypifies on the European hybrid
  2. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  3. Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
  4. Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
  5. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  6. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Bee plantshoney production Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Environmentalerosion control Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Environmentalerosion control Goodding, L. N. 1940. Willows in Region VIII : notes on their classification, distribution and present significance: with suggestions for their use in erosion control. Albuquerque Regional Bull. Soil Conserv. Serv. U.S.D.A. 65:1-12.
Environmentalornamentalas Salix ×rubensKrüssmann, G. 1984. Manual of cultivated broad-leaved trees and shrubs (English translation of Handbuch der Laubgehölze. 1976)
Fuelsbiomass for energy generationpotentialPohjonen, V. 1991. Selection of species and clones for biomass willow forestry in Finland. Acta Forest. Fenn. 221:18.
Materialswood Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Materialswood Stott, K. G. 1992. Willows in the service of man. Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh 98B:169-182.
Materialswood Boutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
Materialswood Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Medicinessource of pharmaceutical agentsalicinMcGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Medicinessource of pharmaceutical agentsalicin, now replaced by synthetic derivativesStott, K. G. 1992. Willows in the service of man. Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh 98B:169-182.
Weed  Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed  Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Weed  Campbell, F. T., ed. 1995. Report of National Coalition of Exotic Plant Pest Councils (unpublished draft)
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=32711. Accessed 14 April 2026.