WILLOWS

Willows are valuable for their colour and structure in the garden during winter and provide interest and shelter throughout the summer months. Most are shrubs or small trees and can be pruned to maintain a desired shape or size. Do not plant near drains or buildings.

Willows not available by mail order. Prices dependent on size of pot.

Cuttings available in February and March for self propagation. Mail order price £3.00, including postage, for each bundle of 6 cuttings.

Salix acutifolia 'Blue Streak'
Reddish-violet shoots with a blue bloom. Glossy green narrow leaves. Silvery catkins borne before the leaves. Vigorous but dislikes very acid soils. Wide bush to short tree.

Salix alba 'Aurea' (Gold leaf willow)
Golden stemmed willow with bright green leaves becoming bright yellow when planted in full sun. Slower growing than many willows, keep well pruned to maintain best shoot colours. Shrubby.

Salix alba 'Cardinalis'
Grown for its bright red or orange-red stems. Finely toothed green elongated leaves. Best pruned in spring to maintain colour on young stems.

Salix alba 'Darts Snake'
Twisted dark green stems bearing narrow, shiny green leaves. May suffer some dieback on twiggy growth, prune in spring to maintain shape.

Salix alba f. argentea (Silver Willow)
Narrow silver leaves, best coppiced or pollarded to form a spreading conical tree/shrub.

Salix alba `Vitellina' (Golden Willow)
Strong yellow or orange-yellow stems (particularly on 2nd year stems) with sometimes brick-red colouring on exposed sides. Long, finely toothed mid-green leaves. Vigorous growth, cut back hard to maintain neat habit and stem colour.

Salix daphnoides (Violet willow)
Strongly growing upright willow with polished dark violet, almost purple, stems. Shiny dark green leaves and silvery catkins. Can make a striking small tree.

Salix daphnoides 'Ruberrima'
Glossy green and red-purple stems bearing shiny dark-green leaves with steely bloom beneath. Beautiful large, silky catkins flushed pink.

Salix x dasyclados
Vigorous grower. Olive coloured stems with a soft down towards the tips. Large leaves. Fast to establish and good for shelter. Cuttings make excellent material for living willow sculptures.

Salix 'Flander's Red'
Good strong dark red coloured shoots on a vigorous willow. Prune to maintain best colour. Hardier and faster growing than S. alba 'Cardinalis' and therefore a better choice for more exposed or colder sites.

Salix 'Melanostachys' (Black Willow)
Olive green stems with shiny bright green leaves, forming a spreading bush to 3m high. Fabulous black catkins before leaves with red then yellow anthers.

Salix myrsinifolia 'Black Knight'
Polished black stems, with whitish down at their tips, bearing neat dark-green leaves often flushed purple when young. Tidy large shrub. Cut back for best stem colour.

Salix purpurea 'Nancy Saunders'
Delicate arching shrub producing slender rose to purple polished stems, collecting raindrops after showers, and very narrow blue-grey leaves. Slim silver catkins.

Salix x rubens 'Basfordiana'
Bright yellow and orange stems with finely toothed green leaves. Pale yellow catkins. Will form a widely spreading tree. Cut back hard for best stem colour.

Last updated: 1 March, 2006