About
A vigorous, deciduous shrub, to around 3m high, with an arching habit, downy young shoots and narrowly oval leaves that emerge downy grey-green and turn glossy green. Male plants produce large, furry grey catkins, with red anthers that turn yellow as the pollen ripens, before the leaves appear in early spring.
About the genus
Salix are deciduous shrubs and trees of diverse habit, with simple leaves and tiny flowers in catkins, male and female usually on separate plants. Some are valued for their brightly coloured winter shoots, others for their foliage or showy male catkins
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height2.5-4 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationGrow in any deep, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid shallow chalk soil
PruningPruning group 7, every two or three years in March, for best show of catkins
PropagationPropagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, willow leaf beetle, sawflies and willow scale insects
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to willow anthracnose, honey fungus and rust diseases