Willow trees have a graceful, almost magical look to them. They are well suited to moist locations near ponds and wetland borders. In this article, gardening enthusiast Liessa Bowen introduces the diverse world of willows and how to best grow these trees in your landscape.
Willows are a group of trees and shrubs in the genus Salix that includes over 350 species worldwide. While some willows blend into their surroundings without standing out or being noticed, other varieties are highly ornamental and useful in the landscape. The weeping willow is probably the most easily recognized, known for its long, graceful branches.
As a general rule, willows are fast-growing trees that love wet areas. They aren’t suitable for all landscapes, but if you live near a pond, lake, stream, wetland, or occasionally flooded area, a willow could be an ideal tree. Willows thrive in these wetter areas where other tree species struggle. A few willow species are more tolerant of occasionally dry soils, but all willows appreciate constant moisture.
If you decide to use a willow tree for your property, consider it more than just a tree. Look for a willow with an appealing structure. These trees often appear very elegant during the growing season when they are leafy and green. In the winter, the bare branches have their own unique appeal. Many willows have fascinating forms that you can appreciate all year round.
If you have a plot of land with plenty of space and moist soil, let’s dig right in and look at the details of how and where to grow a willow tree.
There are around 350 species of willows worldwide. Willows are found in many temperate regions around the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America. Many of the more ornamental willows, such as the weeping willow and pussy willows, originated in Europe and Asia. These trees have been widely cultivated for landscaping, erosion control, and the floral industry.
Willows typically grow in moist to wet soils. They thrive along the edges of ponds, lakes, streams, and wetlands and are very tolerant of occasional flooding and saturated soils. They are fast-growing but often short-lived. Many species of willow spread to form small colonies along waterways, creating a natural floodplain erosion control.
All willows are deciduous shrubs or trees. Smaller varieties, such as the pussy willow, can be pruned into a bush-like form, while larger varieties, such as the weeping willow, grow to be impressive, thick-trunked trees. The weeping varieties are highly ornamental, with long, gracefully drooping branches that cascade downwards, overlapping each other like elegant fringes. Most willow varieties have an upright growth form with a rounded or vase-like crown.
These trees and shrubs tend to have similar leaf shapes. Many long, thin, lance-like leaves line the thinner woody stems, giving them a densely green overall appearance. Willows tend to leaf out early in the spring and hold their leaves until late fall. In the autumn, willow leaves typically turn from green to yellow before dropping for the winter months.
Willows bloom in the spring. Most species are dioecious, having separate male and female flowers on different plants. Both trees have showy catkins, often with a white, fuzzy appearance. Male and female flowers bloom at the same time, both attracting pollinators, which then help these plants cross-pollinate. The female plants then produce seed pods, sometimes releasing the seeds with tufts of white fluff to help them disperse in the wind.
These trees are remarkably easy to propagate. Willow seeds are ready to germinate as soon as they mature, and willow cuttings readily take root with minimal effort.