Salix japonica

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Common products:
• Salix matsudana Koidz. (tortuosa) – cultivated as a short-rotation energy crop; harvested for chips/biomass used in energy applications (heat, power, pellets). Branch and stem material serves as a pulpwood for kraft pulp and paper production (e.g., printing and writing papers). The species is listed among woody biomass species managed under national energy forest standards and is produced industrially in the 2010s in China for both pulp and energy use. Salix viminalis L. – cultivated as an osier species for basket and wickerwork; stems provide a flexible long-fiber bast suitable for weaving and craft applications.

Industrial and craft applications:
• Salix viminalis – basketry, wicker and weaving; derived from pliable stems.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
• No documented non-medicinal food uses specific to Salix matsudana or S. viminalis in the cited sources.

Colorants and tanning:
• No documented tannin or dye uses specific to Salix matsudana or S. viminalis in the cited sources.

Wood and fiber:
• Salix matsudana – short-rotation wood for energy and pulp; pulp is processed via the kraft process (lignin removal, cellulose pulp recovery).

Fragrance and cosmetics:
• No documented fragrance/cosmetic uses specific to Salix matsudana or S. viminalis in the cited references.

Properties relevant to use:
• For S. viminalis: stems are long, slender, flexible and lignified at maturity, providing mechanical strength for weaving and craft products. For S. matsudana: rapid growth in short-rotation plantations supports high biomass yield, suitable for energy feedstocks; wood properties meet kraft pulp mill specifications (e.g., lignin/cellulose composition permitting chemical pulping).

Standards and regulation:
• In Japan, short-rotation woody energy species may be cultivated under national energy forest (木質エネルギー林) guidelines and regional silvicultural standards. National forest product standards (JIS) define woody biomass categories used for energy and pulping applications.

Sustainability and sourcing:
• Salix matsudana – cultivated in short-rotation energy and pulp systems (e.g., 5–7 year rotations in China), supporting renewable biomass supply. Salix viminalis – cultivated in managed osier plantations for craft and basket supply chains; long-fiber stems are harvested seasonally for craft product manufacturing.

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No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

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