About
Salix lanata, the woolly willow, is a small, bushy deciduous shrub to about 1 m with rounded, mealy, silvery dark-green, downy leaves to 6 cm long. Golden-yellow male catkins to 5 cm, or grey-yellow female catkins to 8 cm, appear in late spring with the foliage. A handsome and rewarding small willow for a moist, sunny rock garden.
About the genus
Salix, the willows, are deciduous shrubs and trees of very diverse habit, with simple leaves and tiny flowers in catkins, male and female usually on separate plants. Some are valued for brightly coloured winter shoots, others for ornamental catkins, foliage or stature.
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, East-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH7
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height10-20 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Coastal, Wildlife gardens
Native toArctic N Asia Europe
Care notes
CultivationEasy to grow on most soils in sun or partial shade; producing a small compact bushy shrub
PruningPruning group 1
PropagationPropagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, leaf beetles, sawflies, willow scale
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to willow anthracnose, scab, canker, honey fungus and rust