English Cricket Bat Willow, or Salix Alba Caerulea, is one of many thousand different species of tree and is one of many hundreds of different species of willow all over the world, with many species in the UK.
Uniquely suited to cricket bat manufacture, it is lightweight and appealing to the eye. Though categorised as a hardwood species, it possesses softwood properties. Its “diffuse porous” cell structure provides stiffness, density, and excellent impact resistance. It is this impact resistance that sets it apart. While other trees may be denser, English Cricket Bat Willow exhibits a similar impact resistance to a tropical hardwood that is ten times denser.
The UK boasts the ideal climate and soil types for English Cricket Bat Willow to thrive. This relatively fast-growing species reaches maturity in 12 to 20 years.
Trees are ready for harvesting when their circumference measures 58 inches (147.5 cm) at a height of 4 feet 8 inches (142.3 cm) from the ground, with an ideally clean trunk of 84 inches (213.5 cm). To minimise the risk of adverse weather conditions like wind damage, which can render the trees worthless, it is best to fell them as soon as they reach optimal size.