Crack Willow

I take my friend to the arboretum fairly often to walk, tear around in circles, sniff and pee on things and chase squirrels.  Well, I walk and he does the doggy stuff.  We were there yesterday and although it was sunny there isn't much colour in the landscape yet, with the exception of the yellow twigs of the weeping and black willows.

Crack willows don't have those distinctive yellow twigs, they are more of an ochre or light brown colour.  Well suited to a black and white drawing as the distinctive thing about them is their deeply ridged bark.  This magnificent specimen lives in a perfect willowy place - on low ground beside a small stream and is at least 20m tall with a crown nearly the same dimension.