Willow Trees
Willow trees are widely used in landscape gardening for a variety of reasons. The weeping willow (shown above) can be extremely dramatic when allowed to grow to amturity alongside water. The Golden Weeping Willow (Salix sepulcralis chrysocoma) is a fast growing deciduous tree which grows in to form a spectacular dome shape with pale to mid-green leaves which grow on yellow pendent stems. Around the time of April the female tree produces an abundance of yellow catkins which create an interesting spectacle and a much needed attraction to a spring garden.
Willow Species
There are over 400 different species of willow tree and all seem to thrive on moist soils and even waterlogged ground. Willows easily cross breed so new hybrids occur all of the time, the most ornamental being the weeping varieties mentioned above.
Willow is extremely easy to grow. It was used in Australia to protect the banks of watercourses from erosion but the tree soon became so invasive that it is now classed as a weed and is being slowly removed and replaced with native trees. The fact that the willow tree is so fast growing and somewhat invasive makes it perfect for use in a shelter belt to protect land from wind damage. Often, the more water that is made available to the tree the faster it grows so it proves excellent for places where slower growing trees fail to get themselves established before being damaged by the winds (such as in the Hebrides of Scotland where persistent winds kill all but the most hardy trees)
More about willows below, after this video presentation
Other Popular Varieties of the Willow Tree
The Scarlet Willow (Salix alba vitellina Britzensis)(S. a. Chermesina) can look rather spectacular in the winter months, especially if it is pruned hard back every second year, as the young shoots are brilliant orange-scarlet in color. Catkins appear in May and the deciduous tree has gray-green leaves. This tree forms excellent thicket ans can grow to around 30ft in height. Expect the tree to reach a height of about 18ft and a spread of about 15ft in 20 years.
The White Willow (Salix alba) is a fast growing deciduous willow tree native to the British Isles. It has narrow silver backed leaves which shimmer and glisten in the wind. Catkins, with a distinctive yellow tinge, appear in May. The White Willow is extremely hardy and is able to withstand salty sea winds and it's root system binds soil making it an excellent tree for use in coastal areas or as a protection against erosion. The ultimate height of the White Willow is over 55ft and it can easily reach 25ft within 20 years (spread of around 18ft).
The Grey Sallow Willow (Salix cinerea) is a much slower growing deciduous willow shrub or small tree which reaches a height, and spread, of about 10ft in 20 years but can reach an ultimate height of only about 15ft making it suitable for use in smaller gardens. This willow tree has long broad leaves which are gray-green on the top and intense gray on the underside with red veins. In the spring the Grey Sallow Willow produces a mass of yellow catkins on it's bare gray-green branches. This willow tree is highly suited to wetter areas of ground.
The Golden Willow (Salix alba vitellina) has bright yellow to almost orange young shoots and gray-green leaves. It produces catkins in May and is used widely in deciduous thickets. It can grow to a height of around 60ft but, like all willow trees it can be pruned. Expect it to reach a height of about 35ft and a spread of about 20ft in 20 years but this can be kept to about 8ft x 8ft if it is pruned. Although this willow thrives in most soils I have found that it does not do so well in exposed coastal areas. (admittedly I live within yards of the sea on the Isle of Harris which is a wind swept remote island where only the hardiest trees survive, even with protection).
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