What is diamond willow?

Diamond willow is a very hard wood from one of five of the thirty-three varieties of willows which grow in nearly all parts of Alaska. Most species grow in clumps and can be recognized by the diamond-shaped depressions which usually surround dead limbs. After the bark is removed, the reddish, mahogany- colored heartwood is exposed in these depressions, contrasting vividly with the bright white sapwood. Some experts believe that fungi, particularly Valsa sordida Nitschke, cause the branches to die and the sapwood to recede, exposing the heartwood, while others blame the condition on rabbits and other animals that feed on the branches. Diamond willow in Alaska usually grows to 3 1/2 or 4 inches in diameter but may exceed ten inches in diameter. Ages attained have been noted at 150 years plus. A trunk four inches in diameter may be 50-100 years old.

For further information regarding diamond willow see Alaska magazine, March, 1986, p.82.