Salix herbacea
dwarf willow
A dwarf shrub, forming a low mat of creeping stems, each with two or three small, broadly oval to rounded leaves. Leaves are thin, slightly glossy green, with conspicuous veins and bluntly toothed edges. Small reddish flowers appear alongside or slightly after the leaves in spring; male flowers turn yellow as the pollen ripens. Flowers on female plants are followed by seed pods that turn red as they ripen
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Size
Ultimate height
Up to 10cmTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Red Yellow | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | Yellow Red | ||
| Autumn | Green Yellow | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H7Botanical details
- Family
- Salicaceae
- Native to the UK
- Yes
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Matforming
- Genus
Salix are deciduous shrubs and trees of diverse habit, with simple leaves and tiny flowers in catkins, male and female usually on separate plants. Some are valued for their brightly coloured winter shoots, others for their foliage or showy male catkins
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Europe, N America
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in any deep, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid shallow chalk soil. Very tolerant of cold and exposed conditions
Propagation
Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in winter
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Rock garden
- Ground cover
Pruning
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, willow leaf beetle, sawflies and willow scale insects
Diseases
May be susceptible to willow anthracnose, honey fungus and rust diseases
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