Willow is classified as an ornamental garden and park tree. More than 600 species are known in nature, some of them are grown in country houses. Breeders have developed many varieties, including not only trees, but also shrubs, as well as creeping plants. By pruning, the plant can be given different shapes, which allows it to be used to create bonsai. In traditional landscaping, willow is used as a hedge. The decorative effect of the tree is achieved due to the luxurious crown, which is different for each variety.
Growing willow: varieties and types (photo)
White willow
White willow is a tree whose height can reach 25 meters. On a powerful white trunk, all branches are located vertically upward, with the exception of the side shoots, which rush downward.
Grayish leaves appear along with catkins. Willow blooms with small yellow flowers that bloom in April.
It is better to place the tree on the banks of rivers, reservoirs, and near lakes. Willow prefers open sunny areas. Having planted a white willow, you can admire its beauty for quite a long time. Life cycle tree up to 100 years old.
Weeping white willow
A small compact tree, a variety of white willow. It has bright yellow bark and light green leaves. The willow crown is quite unusual and gives the plant a bizarre appearance. The branches descend in a lush cascade to the ground, which adds decorativeness to the entire tree. Dwarf forms of weeping willow look good in a flower bed, next to flowers.
Babylonian willow
A large plant with a weeping crown. The height of the tree reaches 15 meters. Flexible and thin shoots hang to the ground, and the narrow leaves have a shiny shine. The tree is used both in group plantings and in single ones. Babylonian willow is characterized by its growth rate. The planting site must be moist.
Goat willow
A very beautiful tree with a decorative crown, the height of which reaches only 10 meters. The crown is round in shape and quite dense. The leaves are large, round, dark green. In March, goat willow blooms with small silver-yellow catkins that emit a honey aroma. This species is propagated by grafting, less often by seeds.
Hairy willow
A silvery shrub with rounded leaves, the height of which does not exceed two meters. The shoots and leaves are covered with fluff. During flowering, it produces candle flowers that are directed upward. Well tolerated harsh winters, prefers moist and nutritious soils. In landscape design they are used for decoration. artificial reservoirs.
Iwa Haruko Nishiki
A small compact tree with drooping branches. The crown is round and dense. Young leaves are covered with spots white, which gives the tree extraordinary beauty. Old leaves lose this feature. Used to create compositions against the background of shrubs with dark leaves.
Willow whole leaf
Spreading shrub up to 3 meters high. Willow prefers damp places. The plant can be recognized from afar by its leaves, which are arranged in an arched manner on the branches. This feature gives the shrub a similarity to a fern. Flowering begins in May, dark red catkins bloom, emitting a hyacinth aroma.
Creeping willow "Armando"
A small, rather decorative shrub that can be formed into a standard tree. Many gardeners grow in tubs, on balconies and terraces. The crown of the bush is creeping, the trunk is almost invisible. After flowering, it needs pruning, which provokes the growth of new shoots. The frost-resistant tree blooms with pink, silvery fluffy inflorescences. With the appearance of earrings, the plant is transformed.
How to plant willow
The place for planting the tree should be moist with well-fertilized soil. Willow grows well in light sandy soils. When planting, humus or mature compost is added to the ground.
For planting, choose an annual seedling with a well-developed root system. The optimal time for planting a plant is early spring. As soon as the snow melts, the willow should be planted. For low-growing forms and shrubs, a pit size of 50*50*50 is acceptable. For tall trees, the planting hole should be slightly bigger size. After planting, the seedling needs to be well watered and the soil mulched.
Willow care: watering, pruning, fertilizing
Growing willow is not at all difficult, caring for it is not a hassle. Basic care procedures boil down to watering, crown formation and fertilizing.
How to water a willow
In the wild, willow grows on the banks of rivers and ponds, so it needs frequent watering. This plant tolerates spring flooding and high lying areas very well. groundwater.
During dry periods, the tree needs to be watered regularly and the crown of young seedlings should be sprayed. Several buckets of water are spent on one adult plant.
Feeding
Like all trees, willow needs fertilizing to maintain its decorative properties. In spring, the soil around the tree is loosened and mineral fertilizers are added.
Willow responds well to regular fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers. They need to be applied throughout the season, depending on the plant variety.
Crown formation
Willow tolerates pruning and crown formation well. Skilled gardeners use pruning to create trees with an unusually beautiful crown.
The first cutting should be carried out several years after planting the seedling. At first, the shoots are allowed to grow freely. Pruning is carried out when the tree branches reach a height of about 1 meter.
As a rule, crown formation begins when the plant has already bloomed. Young shoots are shortened by about 20 cm, making a cut above the bud that faces outward. Tree pruning should be done regularly, which allows you to grow beautiful specimens with a dense crown.
Willow planting: propagation (photo)
Under natural conditions, willows reproduce by seeds, which remain viable for several days. When ripe, the seeds are dispersed by the wind and birds. But propagation of varietal willows by seeds is quite difficult. As a rule, you can get a seedling only by resorting to cuttings. Some varieties are propagated exclusively by grafting. To plant such species, it is better to purchase ready-made seedlings from a nursery.
Cuttings should be harvested in autumn or early spring, when sap flow is slow. Cuttings are cut from shoots that are more than two years old, which increases the chances of rooting. Take only the middle of the branch, about 20 cm long, for the cutting.
The prepared cuttings are planted in a greenhouse or a separate container. To do this, prepare a trench by deepening planting material several buds into the ground. The distance between seedlings should be about 30 cm.
Caring for willow seedlings in a greenhouse should be carried out constantly. It is necessary to maintain the level of humidity, as well as loosen the soil and remove the growth of other trees, which can clog young plantings.
The cuttings quickly take root and begin to grow, but there is no need to rush into planting them in the garden. Young seedlings should overwinter in a greenhouse. They are planted in a permanent place only in the second year. The trees obtained in this way grow and form quickly.
Willow is a deciduous tree of the Willow family. There are more than 550 species on the planet, mostly growing in areas with temperate and cool climates. Northern Hemisphere. Some varieties are found above the Arctic Circle and in the tropics. Scientists note that willows are old-timers on the planet; their leaves are imprinted in chalk deposits, the age of which is estimated at tens of millions of years.
Total information
In Russia, the plant has several names - willow, willow, willow, willow, tal, vine, lozina, shelyuga.
Most often, willow is a tree about 15 meters high, or a low shrub. But individual species willows are represented by specimens over 30 meters high with a trunk diameter of 50 cm. In the North, willow is no longer a tree, but a low-growing, creeping shrub that does not grow higher than 20-30 cm. Herbaceous willow also grows there, only 2-3 cm high. centimeter
Willow grows well along the banks of rivers and lakes, but there are species that grow on mountain slopes and in semi-deserts.
Willows various types The roots are very well developed, so they are planted to strengthen loose sandy soil. Willow is also grown to secure the banks of natural and artificial reservoirs - dams, canals, rivers, lakes, ponds. Weeping willow is a good decoration for a park or personal plot, especially if there is an artificial body of water nearby - a pond or swimming pool, so landscape designers willingly work with it.
Variety of species
In this article we'll talk about decorative varieties that are used in landscape design.
White willow is a fairly large tree with spectacularly hanging thin branches, with long silvery leaves. White willow grows quickly, is not picky about soil, and can grow in waterlogged soil. This tree loves light and warmth, and at the same time tolerates harsh conditions well. Russian winters. The lush crown is easy to trim. The tree can be used for single planting in the park.
Willow has a tent-shaped crown, dark green leaves with a silver tint, which turn yellow-green in autumn. It blooms in April-May with fluffy yellow-green flowers called cats. At five years it grows up to 3 meters, reaching a maximum after 15-20 years, and it is 25 meters. at the same time, its crown diameter increases to 20 meters.
Kilmarnock goat willow is a low ornamental tree with drooping branches, height depending on grafting location. Goat willow is unpretentious to growing conditions, loves light, but can grow in shaded places, and is suitable for planting near a pond. Grows well in moist soil and is frost-resistant.
The crown shape of this willow variety is weeping, the leaves are dull green with a silvery tint, turning yellow in the fall. It blooms in April-May with fluffy golden flowers. Kilmarnock willow does not grow higher than one and a half meters, and its crown diameter rarely exceeds 1.5 meters.
Goat willow Pendula is a low ornamental tree that will look great in group plantings on the shore of a pond. Its height also depends on the height of the graft. A light-loving and frost-resistant plant, it grows well in any type of soil with varying humidity.
The crown of this willow variety is weeping, the leaves are dull green, silvery, turning yellow in the fall. Blooms in spring with golden seals. Willow pendula does not grow higher than 170 cm, and its crown diameter does not exceed 1.5 meters.
Goat willow Pendula.
Brittle willow is a small tree or shrub. Grows quickly in moist soil and flooded areas. Light-loving, but can also grow in partial shade.
The shape of the crown of this willow variety is soft, round, and resembles clouds in appearance. The green leaves turn bright yellow in the fall. It blooms in April-May with oblong green-yellow flowers. Brittle willow grows up to 15 meters in height, while its crown diameter reaches 12 meters.
Brittle willow “Globular”.
Purple willow is a shrub with thin, reddish-brown branches with a bluish bloom. Grows quickly in any type of soil, even sand. It is characterized by frost resistance and unpretentiousness to light. The crown is easy to shape with a haircut. Purple willow can be used in a hedge or in a single planting.
The shape of the crown is spherical, the leaves are silver-green, and in the fall they acquire a yellow-green color. It blooms in April-May with oblong purple flowers. Purple willow grows up to 5 meters in height, and the crown diameter rarely exceeds 5 meters.
Purple willow.
Purple willow Mayak is a winter-hardy, ornamental, openwork shrub with thin red-pink branches. Loves bright, sunny places and moderately moist soil. Can be planted in hedges, and in compositions with other shrubs and trees.
The crown is spherical in shape, the leaves are silver-green in summer and yellow-green in autumn. Yellow-pink flowers are produced in spring. The lighthouse willow measures 3 meters in height, with a crown diameter of 3 meters.
Purple willow Nana is a shrub with red-brown branches. Undemanding to soil and light, frost-resistant, but in winter needs protection from the wind. The crown is easy to shape with a haircut. The shrub can be planted in groups or alone, in hedges and for planting near water bodies.
The crown shape is lush, semicircular. The leaves are oblong, narrow, silver-green in summer and yellow-green in autumn. Blooms in spring with light green flowers. The height of the bush and the diameter of the crown do not exceed one and a half meters.
Purple willow Pendula is a frost-resistant, lush shrub with thin purple branches. Loves moist soil and light, can grow in flooded areas, but at the same time tolerates drought well. Can be used for single plantings near water bodies.
The shape of the crown is openwork, weeping, the leaves are green with a bluish tint, turning yellow in the fall. Purple flowers. The height depends on the height of the grafting site, but rarely exceeds 3 meters, with a crown diameter of 1.6 meters.
Purple willow Pendula.
Willow tortuous Sverdlovskaya is a frost-resistant, decorative tree with spiral-shaped, hanging branches. It is undemanding to soil, but grows slowly and is well shaped by pruning. Willow of this variety can be used for planting in a hedge or in a single planting.
The crown shape is weeping, the leaves are green in summer and yellow in autumn, does not bloom. the maximum growth of the tortuous willow does not exceed 3 meters, and the diameter of the crown is 2 meters.
All-leaved willow Hakuro-nishiki is a spreading shrub or small tree with unusual coloring and hanging shoots. The variety is not frost-resistant and is poorly suited for cultivation in the Russian climate. Grows well in moist soil, in a well-lit place.
Can be used for single planting, or in composition with plants that have a dark green color. A lush bush can be easily formed by cutting.
The crown shape is round, the leaves are white-pink-green in spring and summer, turning pink in autumn. Blooms in April-May with yellow-green flowers. The height and diameter of the crown of this variety are within 2 meters.
Swiss willow is a spreading, dwarf variety. Slow-growing, light-loving shrub. Feels good on fertile, loose, moist soil. The color goes well with coniferous trees.
The shape of the crown is round, the leaves are silvery in spring and summer, turning yellow in autumn. Spring flowers, golden. The height of the bush is 1 meter, with a crown diameter of 1.5 meters.
Swiss willow.
Babylonian willow is a spreading tree with thin and long branches hanging down to the ground. Branches in red, yellow or green shades. This variety is characterized by frost resistance and unpretentiousness to growing conditions. Suitable for single planting on the shore of a pond.
The crown shape is round, the leaves are long, dark green on top, and bluish-green below. They turn yellow in autumn. It blooms with white-yellow flowers - earrings. The tree grows up to 10-12 meters, the crown can exceed these values.
Willow or holly willow is a shrub or tree with thin, flexible branches of red color, which is why the plant is popularly called krasnothal or red shell. The branches have a waxy coating that is easily erased. Frost-resistant, unpretentious, can grow near a pond on sandy soil.
The shape of the crown is oval, the leaves are long, shiny, green with a bluish tint, turning yellow in autumn. It blooms in April with earrings containing yellow pollen. The willow grows up to 8-10 meters in height, the crown is spreading - up to 3-4 meters in bushes and up to 5-6 meters in trees.
Hairy willow is an ornamental shrub or small tree with lush branches. Frost-resistant variety, grows well in moist, fertile soil. Excellent for planting in the garden near small artificial ponds.
The shape of the crown is round, formed by cutting. The leaves of the original type are elliptical in shape, silvery green, turning yellow in autumn. The leaves and branches are covered with silky hairs. The flowers are yellow, spring, similar to vertically placed candles. Plant height is 1.5-3 meters, crown diameter is 3-4 meters.
Creeping willow Armando is a small shrub with bare flexible branches. This variety of willow is grown in the form of a trunk. It can be planted not only in the garden, but also indoors or on the balcony in a tub or container. Frost-resistant, loves moist soil and plenty of light. The tree can be used to decorate stone gardens and planted near small artificial ponds.
The crown is spreading, the leaves are matte green above and gray-green below, with shiny fibers. Flowering occurs in spring, the inflorescences are fluffy, silvery and pinkish in color.
The bush does not exceed 1 meter in height, the crown diameter is 2-3 meters. Sometimes gardeners give the bush a standard shape.
Rosemary willow in Russia is known as netala, niceloz or Siberian willow. This is a low, spreading shrub with flexible shoots of red or purple. Grows slowly, in any soil, tolerates well very coldy and wind. Suitable for planting among rocky hills.
The crown shape is spreading, the leaves are straight with silky fluff. The color of the leaves is dark green on top and bluish on the underside. It blooms in May with numerous fragrant earrings of yellow or purple color. The height of the bush is 1 meter, the diameter of the crown is 3-4 meters.
I think I would never have decided to plant a willow on the property if my friend had not been a landscape designer. Day and night we chose the appropriate variety (imagine, there are many of them), and finally I became the happy owner of a renovated yard. During the time spent with the pros, I learned a lot and I hasten to tell you about the most popular varieties of willow with photos and descriptions.
Being one of the most ancient plants on the planet, willow is found on the imprints of Cretaceous rocks. It was born in Eurasia, but also grows in temperate latitudes of North America. Some types of willows grow in the tropics and subtropics, where humidity is high.
The expanses of Russia are wide and vast, in different areas meet different names plants: willow, willow, willow and others.
In botany, willow means a deciduous shrub or rounded tree. small sizes. Willow leaves are lanceolate or broadly oval, up to 12 cm long and up to 8 cm wide. The upper side has a dark green color, and the lower side has a green-gray tint.
The flowering period occurs in April and continues until the leaves appear. The famous willow catkins are actually male inflorescences up to 6 cm in length. The plant is resistant to low temperatures. Most varieties of vine are suitable for weaving.
Species diversity
Conventionally, willow varieties can be divided into 2 large categories: shrubs and tree-like plants.
- Willow shrubs are unpretentious, so you can find them everywhere: on the banks of reservoirs, along roads, near swamps and drying rivers. These are the first plants to appear in places of massive deforestation and fires, in the places of which only blackened earth remained. You can also find willow bushes on mountain slopes much higher than sea level. Their branches are used by wicker weavers from for a long time, and the plants themselves quickly recover, sending out new shoots.
- Most of varieties of willow trees are similar to the usual mighty trees, rising to a height of several floors. S. Nikolskoye ( Smolensk region) boasts a silver willow - the record holder of the Non-Black Sea strip of the Russian Federation, whose age exceeds 120 years, and the trunk is more than 5 meters in girth.
There are enough varieties of willows to detailed description Each one took up too much space, so we’ll focus on the most common and well-known ones.
Twig Willow
One of the main varieties used in basketry is a tree that reaches a height of up to 10 meters, or a bush-type plant with many straight, thin branches. New shoots are short, almost glabrous, and over time they become bare or have short hair. The flowering period continues throughout the spring.
The habitat is European part Russian Federation. The only exceptions are the northern and southern regions. Cultivation is carried out on sandy soils and loams. It grows on the banks of living river beds and covers the old parts of the floodplain.
It does not like marshy areas or wetlands, but areas subject to periodic waterlogging can serve as habitat. Loves plenty of light. It begins to grow and develop quickly, producing a lot of shoots. It tolerates spring frosts well, but is susceptible to rotting and wormholes.
The woody part of willow is light in color and may have a pinkish or reddish tint. Soft and light wood dries easily and can be processed.
purple willow
A dense bushy plant with thin and flexible shoots reaches 5 meters in height. Lives about 30 years. It has narrow long leaves of dark green color. It is widespread in the southern and middle latitudes of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and the Baltic states.
Cultivation of purple willow can be carried out in almost the entire forest zone, except for the northern parts, where the plant is susceptible to frost. This species loves light and does not react well to the proximity of groundwater and flooding.
White (silver) willow
The height of a mature tree is about 25 meters, and the diameter of the crown reaches 20 m. It has a lush crown of cascading stems, on which are attached leaves that shimmer with silver. Yellow flowers on the willow appear in mid-spring. Looking like pieces of fur perched on branches, they are called “seals.”
Silver willow is widely used by landscape designers when creating harmonious compositions.
The fast-growing plant copes well with frost, excess moisture, pruning, is unpretentious to conditions, and grows in most soils.
A light-loving variety that combines several of the most popular varieties of decorative willows:
- The Tristis variety rises 20 m above the ground. It boasts a wide crown reaching 20 meters in diameter. It has a yellow crown and branches. The honey plant blooms in April.
- The cascading shoots of Argentea create a weeping crown, and the tree itself rises up to 25 meters above the ground. During the flowering period, the crown is showered with yellow catkins. The two sides of the sheet have different colour: dark green above, whitish below.
- The special feature of Limpde is yellow stems. The cone-shaped crown has a diameter of 12 m, and the tree itself reaches 40 m in height. In addition to its decorative purpose, the variety is a honey plant. The flowering period begins in April. Resistant to low temperatures.
goat willow
The plant is considered universal and unpretentious in terms of growing conditions: it tolerates shade, frost, and grows in different types soils, in places with high humidity. It is often planted near ponds and rivers, but does not tolerate heavy swampiness. Often appears as undergrowth or the second layer of mixed forest plantations.
Distributed as a tree up to 10 m in height (Europe, Iran, Japan, Korea, Asia Minor) and a low bush several meters high. The flowering period begins much earlier than the appearance of leaves. It has a high growth rate.
There is a well-known species bred by breeders that has absorbed the qualities of twig and goat willow - pointed willow, which is tall plant artisanal type. Reaching 5 meters in height, it has narrow-lanceolate leaves and bare shoots.
Pointed and goat willow wood is used in wicker weaving because the wood is of excellent quality and is perfect for craftsmen.
Where is willow used?
Tree and shrub species, united by a common name - willow, have many different uses.
- Wood varieties are excellent for making crafts, and in steppe regions they are common as a building material.
- Shrubs are used as a fuel cell.
- Thanks to rapid growth species, willow is used in the pulp industry and is involved in the production of plastic.
- Many of the species discussed above produce rods used in wicker weaving.
- Leafy branches are used to feed livestock.
- Medicinal use.
- The bark is used in tanning, and the fiber is used in the production of burlap, rope and mats.
- Due to its early flowering, willow is a valuable honey plant.
- The use of decorative varieties of willow in landscape design involves single plantings or planting of several trees ( large groups try to avoid). Weeping willows are especially impressive in combination with a lawn, alpine slides or next to a pond.
- Willow roots serve as a measure to strengthen cliffs to protect against landslides.
Many property owners underestimate the willow and treat it as a waste or even weed plant. A quick acquaintance with some species and decorative forms can radically change this view of this interesting culture. Willow has long been used for treatment and used on the farm. Today we can afford to decorate our areas with this plant by choosing the appropriate species. This plant is better suited than many others for creating garden bonsai and unusual shapes.
Willow in flowering period
Where does the fluff come from?
Willow is a dioecious plant that has males with anthers and females that bear fruit. Bisexual specimens are less common. Earring-shaped inflorescences decorate some species in spring. Men's earrings first look like silvery silky balls, soon they are covered with bright yellow anthers, and then fall off. Willow fluff is given only by women's earrings. This is necessary in order to disperse the seeds at a distance from the mother plant. And we usually only blame poplars for the appearance of balls of fluff. Even when these trees are not nearby. Some types of willow bloom in early spring before the leaves bloom, others bloom when the leaves turn green on the branches.
Willow or willow?
One day before Palm Sunday I heard two people arguing about the name of the bush growing next to them willow . One of them claimed that it was a willow tree. Another called the bush a willow. Both were right, because... holly willow And willow It is customary to call it a willow and break off branches before the holiday.
Holly willow (red willow, red willow, red willow) - one of the earliest flowering species in middle lane Russia. It is a tall shrub or tree with reddish-brown smooth branches. Flowering begins before the long narrow leaves appear. Large buds with red-brown scales are visible already in autumn.
Various furniture and boxes are woven from thin willow branches, rather than baskets, because... It is not worth storing food in them because of the bitter bark.
Willow willow also called willow. This common plant can grow as a shrub or tree. The long leaves are wider than those of Norway willow. This type of willow does not tolerate prolonged stagnation of water.
Wolf willow allows you to quickly grow a hedge from cuttings stuck into the ground, which quickly take root. They need to be regularly trimmed or young flexible shoots intertwined with each other. Interesting variety "Aglaya" with large silver earrings and red branches. In early flowering varieties "Praecox" earrings length is about 9 cm.
Do goats like goat willow?
We often hear about goat willow (bredena) . This tall tree or shrub is decorated in early spring with fluffy earrings, which stay on the bare branches for a week or two, and then instantly fall off. During the flowering period, a subtle aroma is felt. Later, wide leaves with a velvety-felt underside grow. They are said to resemble the skin of a goat's lips when touched. Hence the name of this type of willow.
Weeping form "Pendula" - the result of grafting goat willow onto a rootstock of a different species. The result is miniature trees with a trunk 60 - 170 cm high with a cascading crown. In the first years, immediately after flowering, all young shoots need to be cut short, leaving about 20 cm on each of them. Subsequently, the scion is annually cut to the outer bud, which allows you to increase the size of the crown and form a strong frame in the shape of an open umbrella. Without corrective pruning or regular blinding of the buds, the shoots quickly reach the ground, sink to it and continue to grow in the horizontal plane. The growth rate is more than two meters during the summer. It is necessary to ensure that the rootstock does not produce its own shoots that drown out the scion.
The initially neat tree, unattended, acquired a strange shape. Long shoots of the scion felt great between the stones of the alpine hill and grew in the stagnant water of the decorative pool. Forced pruning was reduced to shortening branches and removing dried twigs
At first, you need to pay attention to the vaccination site. Immediately after purchase, remove the winding and all fasteners. In the first winters, it is advisable to insulate the scion for the winter, especially its “crown”. Non-woven material folded in several layers is suitable for this purpose.
This willow can be planted on the lawn, next to it, in a rock garden, or grown in a container. A group of several weeping willows with different heights standards
There are garden forms and varieties of goat willow with white-green variegated foliage ( "Variegata" ) and broad oval outline of the leaves. Decorative men's uniform "Mas" , which is good during flowering and in the fall, when the foliage turns golden yellow. Grows into a tree or bush "Zilberglyants" with a beautiful crown of hanging branches. The slightly wrinkled leaves have a felt underside that is pleasant to the touch.
Goat willow leaves are rich in vitamin C. In earlier times, they were brewed as tea. It is useful to gargle and gargle with a decoction of the bark for various inflammatory processes, especially sore throat. Abscesses and ulcers are treated with an ointment made from powdered willow bark and butter.
Forming brittle willow
Brittle willow (broom) - a fast-growing tree with a tent-shaped crown. Lanceolate leaves up to 15 cm long bloom at the time of flowering. In autumn they turn lemon yellow. This species is easily propagated by cuttings, the degree of rooting is close to 100%. Brittle willow does not freeze even in the harshest winters. Under the species willow there are always a lot of dead, dried branches that easily break off during strong gusts of wind.
So I formed a brittle willow, which grew to the wires
I consider this species the most suitable for creating garden bonsai. Cultural form brittle willow "Bulat » (« Bullata ") tolerates corrective pruning very well. You can “cut” different geometric shapes from it. At the end of winter, the bark of young shoots begins to turn green, so in early spring the crown acquires a pleasant greenish tint. Willow does not produce fluff, which is important for people with allergies.
Option for forming the crown of willow brittle "Bulat"
Who bends the willow branches?
Twisted trunk and branches of matsudana willow - distinctive feature these trees or shrubs. The frost resistance of the species is satisfactory: in severe winters, freezing occurs above the level of snow cover. Some gardeners additionally insulate their plants for the winter. Popular decorative form " Tortuosa » - a tree or bush with a twisting trunk and olive-gray branches. The leaves are also twisted in a spiral. The plant does not do well in a windy place, especially in an icy northeast wind. Willow leaves are burned during spring frosts. Without corrective pruning, the tree becomes thickened, which makes it difficult to admire the pattern of intertwined and twisted branches.
Willow tortuous "Tortuosa"
The tortuous willow of the Ural selection with strongly curved branches of olive or reddish-brown color and twisted leaves tolerates our climate better. Tree height "Sverdlovskaya winding 1" about 4 m. It has a slightly weeping shape. There are winter-hardy low-growing forms with a weeping and pyramidal shape. They tolerate pruning well. When propagating, it is better to root short cuttings.
Twisty willow always looks so unusual
Low growing willows
The choice of low-growing ornamental willows is huge.
Shaggy willow (woolly) in the Moscow region it grows no higher than one meter. In spring, catkins appear. The grayish-green leaves are round in shape and have white felt pubescence, so the entire bush appears blue and fluffy. This slow-growing willow is afraid of cold winds, waterlogging and prolonged drought. After the end of sap flow, the frozen tips of the branches are removed.
Drought resistant rosemary willow up to 1 meter high, it is better to plant it on poor soil, perhaps among rockery stones. On nutritious soil it fattens, which prevents the appearance of dense crown cushions. Most of the shortened trunk is hidden underground, and we see only numerous branches of the crown. Earrings appear before narrow dark green leaves, pubescent on the underside. Dense bushes are suitable for borders. Peat is added to the planting holes.
This low-growing willow tree needs very little space.
Purple willow "Gracilis" (Nana) is a ball up to 1.5 m high made of thin flexible branches of a purple hue. They arise from a shortened stem. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate, silvery-bluish in color. earrings are bright, reddish in color. This willow is more elegant in a bright place. In the shade, the shoots stretch out and the crown thins out. The plant grows better in sandy soils with the addition of lime. Both wet and dry places are suitable for this crop. In harsh winters, the beautiful bush may freeze slightly, but then quickly recovers. Pruning is easy and allows you to create various garden shapes.
Willow herbaceous (dwarf willow) up to 15 cm high (most often 6 - 7 cm) decorated with tiny earrings and small rounded leaves with a relief pattern of veins. This is a frost-resistant species that is incredibly interesting. The herbaceous willow is sometimes called the smallest tree in the world. Its homeland is considered not only arctic latitudes, but also the highlands of the Alps and Pyrenees. There this willow almost completely fits into a layer of moss, sheltering from strong winds. This species can be recommended to bonsai connoisseurs.
Tundra species include willow reticulum - a strongly branched, low-growing, frost-resistant shrub with branches 30–50 cm long that spread along the ground. It grows slowly. Dark branches with small leathery leaves with a relief mesh pattern. Young leaves are pubescent. In spring, reddish catkins stick vertically upward. This species looks great among a scattering of stones, where low carpet cushions form over time. Reticulated willow is ideal for rock gardens.
Is there enough room for white willow?
We are often forced to refuse to plant spectacular large trees. (silver willow, willow ) from among them. This is a powerful tree up to 25 meters high. Young leaves are silvery-white. For small areas, smaller garden forms have been developed.
Such a white willow is unlikely to fit in a garden plot
Weeping white willow up to 7 m high, it attracts with its rare beauty of a weeping crown with a skirt of branches right down to the ground. An unpretentious winter-hardy plant needs regular watering and good lighting. This willow will decorate any decorative pond. It can be planted as a tapeworm on the lawn.
White silver willow up to 12 m high, it has silvery foliage. She wins when landing next to plants with burgundy leaves.
White willow "Chermezina" ("Chermesina" ) - tree up to 7 meters high with bark orange-red color and grey-green leaves, which can be grown as a tall shrub. The plant is pruned at least once every two years, removing old, faded branches, which provokes the appearance of bright young shoots.
ABOUT medicinal properties White willow can be judged by the fact that in the first half of the 19th century, the glycoside salicin was isolated from willow bark, after which salicylic acid was obtained. Later, aspirin was synthesized on its basis. ethnoscience different countries uses teas, infusions and decoctions of white willow bark as an antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and antifungal agent. The bark infusion is used to rinse the mouth during inflammatory processes.
I haven’t named very many other types of willow that could decorate our plots. It is worth taking a closer look at this wonderful plant and using its amazing ability to adapt to any living conditions. When no other plant could survive. Even in the most unfavorable situations, the willow continues to live.
