Species guide

American willow

Latin name

Salix spp.

Other Common names

Black willow, swamp willow

Distribution

Eastern USA. Principal commercial areas are the Middle and Southern States, along the Mississippi river.

General Description

The sapwood of willow varies in width according to growing conditions and is light creamy brown in colour. In contrast the heartwood is pale reddish brown to greyish brown. The wood has a fine even texture and although generally straight grained it can sometimes be interlocked, or display figure.

Working Properties

Willow works fairly easily with hand and machine tools but care is needed to avoid a fuzzy surface when interlocked grain is present. The wood nails and screws well, glues excellently, and can be sanded and polished to a very good finish. It dries fairly rapidly with minimal degrade although may be susceptible to moisture pockets. Dimensional stability is good when dry.

Physical Properties

The wood is weak in bending, compression, shock resistance and stiffness, with a poor steam bending classification.

Durability

Non-resistant to hardwood decay. The heartwood is resistant to preservative treatment and the sapwood is permeable.

Availability

USA:
Reasonable availability on a regional basis, as lumber and veneer.

Export:
Very limited indeed due to low demand.

Main Uses

Furniture, joinery, interior mouldings, panelling, doors, sports equipment, kitchen utensils and toys.

Grading

Burls and swirls in the grain are a natural characteristic and are not considered defects.

Technical statistics

Specific Gravity (12% M.C.):	0.39
Average Weight (12% M.C.):	417 kg/m3
Average Volume Shrinkage (Green to 6% M.C.):	11.50%
Modulus of Elasticity:	6960 MPa
Hardness:	N/A