Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys' (m)

RHS Plant Profile

black willow

RHS

Synonyms

Salix 'Melanostachys'
Salix 'Kuro-me'
Salix 'Kurome'
Salix 'Kuroyanagi'
Salix 'Kureneko'
Salix melanostachys
Salix kuru-yanagi
Salix gracilistyla var. melanostachys

Shrubs

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A bushy shrub to 3m tall, with oval, glossy leaves that are grey-hairy when young; showy black catkins open in early spring and have orange-red anthers that turn yellow as they mature

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Salicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
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: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any deep, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid shallow chalk soil

Propagation

Root 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
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 7, every 1-3 years in March for coloured winter shoots

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, leaf beetles, sawflies, willow scale

Diseases

May be susceptible to willow anthracnose, scab, canker, honey fungus and rust