Woolly willow  (Salix lanata)

Woolly willow is found in the mountainous circumpolar regions of northern Europe and Asia. In Scotland, the species has been found growing in fifteen 10km squares, and probably represents a relic population from just after the Ice Age. Elsewhere in its range, the woolly willow is restricted mostly to arctic or sub-arctic habitats.

This species is found at high altitudes, above the normal tree line, from 500 to 1000 metres above sea level, and in Scotland it grows in areas that cannot be reached by grazing animals. It requires a calcareous or lime-rich soil.