Salix: Willow
Willows are a garden favorite, beloved for their versatility, growth rate, and graceful presence in the landscape.
Plant care & info
Family: Salicaceae
Genus: Salix (SAY-licks) based in Celtic, sel means ‘near’ and lis means ‘water’.
Common: Willow
Salix is found all over the world, except in Australia.
There are around 250-300 species of willow shrubs and trees. Almost all lose their leaves in winter, and most bloom before or with the first leaf set in spring. Flowers are set in tight clusters called catkins, some of which are covered in fuzz (Pussy Willows).
Many have yellow, red or purple bark during the cold of winter. Typically willows develop a dense fibrous root system that searches out water, so they should be planted well away from the foundation of a house, and away from water lines.
Willows range from 6″ x 24″ shrubby ground covers to 70′ x 50′ trees depending on species.
Most prefer full sun to part shade. Willows with white or pink leaves (Dappled Willow) should be shaded during the heat of the afternoon.
Willows generally grow quickly, both in the root system and above ground. They have a natural affinity for water and in nature are found growing along stream banks, lakes and rivers. They like moist soil but can adapt to drier areas once their roots are established. Because of their dense root system, it can be difficult to grow plants around or underneath willows.
Willows tend to accept pruning very well and grow back quickly. Many willows have branches that are used for decoration, basket weaving, twig furniture and wattle fencing.
- Shrubby willows (Dappled, Arctic & Pussy Willows) can be pruned low to the ground (coppiced) to keep them smaller and to promote better stem & foliage color.
- Pruning can happen at any time during the year, but keep in mind that when branches are cut, new growth is stimulated.
- Willow trees will accept pruning, but should be planted in an area where they have enough room so the minimal pruning is needed. Trees that are over-pruned are more susceptible to diseases like Crown Gall.
Varies by species – some as cold tolerant as Zone 2 (-50f). Many species are suited to Portland.
Willow trees are fast-growing and their root systems are big and dense. To avoid damage from roots, plant willows far away from sidewalks, houses and water pipes. Anything that grows really fast will have weaker branches, so breakage can be a problem too.
Willows are prone to a slew of pest and disease issues as well.
Below, you’ll find just a smattering of the 200-plus species of Willows in cultivation, types that are reliably found at Portland Nursery each spring. Many more exist and may make their way into our rotation if we are lucky. Several species native to the Pacific Northwest are often part of our Native Trees selection.
Explore More Willow
Golden Curls Willow
Salix alba ‘Tristis’ x Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’: Golden Curls Willow
Gold twisting branches & curly green leaves that turn gold before falling off in autumn. Grows as a large multi-stemmed shrub or is trained into a tree form. Portland Nursery carries the tree form.
Grows 30′ x 15′, Sun, Z5 (-20f).
Red Curls
Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’ x Salix alba ‘Britzensis’: Red Curls
Curly mahogany red stems and twisting green leaves. Grows as a large multi-stemmed shrub or is trained into a tree form. Portland Nursery often carries this in a multi-stemmed shape, rather than a tree shape.
Grows 30′ x 15-20′, Sun, Z5 (-20f).
Golden Weeping Willow or Niobe Willow
Salix alba ‘Tristis’: Golden Weeping Willow or Niobe Willow
One of the hardiest and largest Weeping Willows. Its trunk and main branches grow upright, while gold-barked side branches weep straight to the ground. Stem color is most prominent during winter. Leaves are bright green, narrow & lance-shaped. Flowers occur in catkins.
Grows 50-70′ tall, 30-50′ wide, Sun, Z4 (-30f).
Babylon Weeping Willow
Salix babylonica: Babylon Weeping Willow
Weeping Willow with stout upright branching structure and side-branches that hang to the ground. Bark is reddish-brown when young and leaves are bright green on top and milky green beneath, turning gold before falling in autumn. Flowers occur in fuzzy catkins that are obscured by foliage.
Grows 30-40′ x 30-40′, Sun, Z6 (-10f).
French Pussy Willow or Goat Willow
Salix caprea: French Pussy Willow or Goat Willow
Late in winter, fuzzy gray catkins push through bronze buds to hale the coming of spring. Round simple green leaves to 4″ long have fuzzy backing & turn gold to brown before falling in autumn. Pussy Willows usually grow as a multi-stemmed small tree or large shrub. They can be cut low to the ground after bloom to maintain a smaller size.
Grows 15-30′ tall x 12-15′ wide if unpruned, Sun, Z4 (-30f).
Weeping Pussy Willow
Salix caprea ‘Pendula’: Weeping Pussy Willow
This Pussy Willow has the same flowering and leaf characteristics as the species, S. caprea. Instead of growing upright though, it stays low, growing along the ground like a ground cover. When grafted to a trunk, the Weeping Pussy Willow forms a small mounded canopy and weeps to the ground. Best with regular water in summer.
Full size is 8-10′ tall x 6-8′ wide, Sun, Z4 (-30f).
Creeping Alpine Willow
Salix yezo-alpina: Creeping Alpine Willow
White fuzzy catkins 2″ long come at the same time as leaves in late March. Leaves are green, leathery and covered in a thick white pelt of fuzz. The Alpine Willow creeps slowly along the ground, mounding here and there, but mostly spreading out. Best with regular moisture in summer months.
Very nice for use in rockery or in a container where it can spill over the side. Grows 6-8 inches tall x 3-4 feet wide, Sun-part shade, Z5 (-20f).
Dappled Willow
Salix integra ‘Hakuro Nishiki’: Dappled Willow
This Willow is grown mostly for its leaves. In early spring leaves are subdued, barely showing a hint of what is to come, with a bit of white speckling amongst the light green color. The next thing you know, leaves so white and pink they look like flowers have covered the plant. This stage lasts until the heat of summer arrives and fades foliage to ‘dappled’ green and white. New branches grown during spring maintain a bright coral pink color year round. Older bark tends to fade to light brown.
White and pink leaves have less chlorophyll than green leaves, so they burn in hot sun. They have the best color when planted in a spot with a few hours of morning sun and shade for the remainder of the day.
Dappled Willow can be cut low to the ground in early spring to keep the plant bushy and promote good leaf and stem color, or it can be allowed to grow into a more open and large shape.
Grows 3-4′ x 3-4′ if pruned low in spring, 5-6′ x 6-8′ unpruned. Part Shade – Shade, Z5.
Dwarf Arctic Willow, Dwarf Purple Osier
Salix purpurea ‘Nana’: Dwarf Arctic Willow, Dwarf Purple Osier
Slender blue-green leaves turn gold in autumn, dark purple stems sway in the breeze. Like many willows, the Arctic Willow can be either pruned close the ground to keep it smaller, or allowed to grow larger and develop a more open branching structure.
Grows 3-4′ if pruned low to the ground, 5-7′ unpruned. Sun, part shade, Z3 (-40f).
