About
Salix repens 'Iona' is a compact, deciduous shrub that typically reaches a height of around 30 cm. It features spreading branches and narrow, oval leaves that display a grey-green hue on top and silvery undersides. In spring, silvery catkins emerge just before or concurrently with the foliage, maturing to a yellow color as they develop. This cultivar can also be grafted onto a standard to form a petite weeping tree.
About the genus
Salix consists of deciduous shrubs and trees exhibiting a variety of forms. They feature simple leaves and small flowers that grow in catkins, with male and female flowers typically found on separate specimens. Certain species are appreciated for their vibrant winter stems, while others are recognized for their leaves or prominent male catkins.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H6
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Spreading branched, Pendulous weeping
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Rock garden, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in any deep, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid shallow chalk soil
- Pruning
- Pruning group 7, every two or three years in March, for best show of catkins
- Propagation
- Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in winter
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, willow leaf beetle, sawflies and willow scale insects
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to willow anthracnose, honey fungus and rust diseases