Not every willow towers over a pond: some stay at 3 to 13 feet (1 to 4 m), with deciduous leaves that carry beautiful colours from spring to autumn, flowering in early spring. Give these shrubby willows (Salix) full sun and soil that stays cool, and they will thrive in a bed or a pot on the terrace.
| Name | Salix |
|---|---|
| Family | Salicaceae |
| Type | shrub |
| Height | 3 to 13 feet (1 to 4 m) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | cool |
| Foliage | deciduous |
| Flowering | early spring |
Best planted in fall to promote root development before winter, thus enhancing recovery.
If potted or in containers, you can plant in spring without any risk.
Willow shrubs are sold under a handful of names that turn up again and again in garden centres. Here are the ones most gardeners are likely to meet, with the size and the feature each is grown for.
| Variety | Height | Grown for | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Kilmarnock’ | 5–6 ft (1.5–2 m) | Silvery pussy-willow catkins on weeping shoots | Focal point in a small garden or large pot |
| ‘Nana’ | 3–5 ft (1–1.5 m) | Fine blue-green leaves on purple stems | Low clipped hedge or mass planting |
| ‘Melanostachys’ | 6–10 ft (2–3 m) | Near-black catkins with brick-red anthers | Shrub border, stems cut for the vase |
| ‘Britzensis’ | 6–10 ft (2–3 m) when coppiced | Orange-red young stems through winter | Coppiced group in a damp border or waterside |
A beautiful shrub, willow shrubs can bear leaves of beautiful colors from spring to fall.
Easy to care for, it is perfect for solitary planting, or together with other shrubs in a shrub bed. It is also very well suited to growing in pots on your balcony or terrace.
The Salix Caprea variety grows slowly, whereas Salix integra, irrorata, purpurea and rosmarinifolia grow much faster.
To keep the ground sufficiently cool, mulch the tree at its base.
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