Salix species ( derived from another thread)

[Darren]

Love that Salix vestita.

Can recommend S. nakamurana var yesoalpina, which resembles a big version of reticulata. It needs watching though as it is a spreader. I think I got mine from Ian Christie and recall seeing a nicely mounded plant on his nursery. I suspect it was nicely mounded because of frequent removal of cuttings and I'm trying to do the same with ours. I'll post a pic later.

We could do with a dwarf Salix thread perhaps, unless I'm missing one elsewhere?

[TheOnionMan]

John W verified it was not him that posted photos of Salix cordifolia.  So, let me apologize in advance to whomever took the following wonderful close-up photos of Salix cordifolia plus one photo of a female form of Salix uva-ursi; they are shown here in the spirit of sharing and furthering our knowledge of dwarf Salix, would be very happy to give proper accreditation for the original poster and photographer.  Also, my memory did not serve me correctly, apparently both the typical yellow flowered form of S. cordifolia and the pink form are both male.

[TheOnionMan]

We could do with a dwarf Salix thread perhaps, unless I'm missing one elsewhere?

Good suggestion Darren, otherwise it's not obvious from the subject title that people are talking about all kinds of good dwarf Salix.

Can recommend S. nakamurana var yesoalpina, which resembles a big version of reticulata. It needs watching though as it is a spreader.

I've grown this for many years, although not sure if any of it is still alive, I had it in a quasi-abandoned part of the yard that is too far for my water hoses to reach.  Originally it was known as S. yezoalpina. Google "Salix yezoalpina" and you'll get a ton of hits, seems a favorite among nursery growers. As you say, it needs watching, or put it someplace where it can spread a couple meters, although only about 30-45 cm tall. The bold fuzzy foliage and yellow catkins are attractive.  It could also be used for an intriguing bonsai.

[Maggi Young]

You will see I have moved this thread and changed its name..... I have reposted Robert's original query in the plants wanted section, also.

[mark smyth]

If anyone finds a UK source for S. vestita let me know.

This is my S. reticulata

[johnw]

If anyone finds a UK source for S. vestita let me know.

This is my S. reticulata

Wonderful Mark!

johnw

[TheOnionMan]

If anyone finds a UK source for S. vestita let me know.

This is my S. reticulata

Mark, I'm not sure why anyone would want to grow such a willow-weed ;-)

A stunning species and lovely shot.  The red catkins shown off nicely by the Polygala I spy nearby.

[Lori S.]

Beautiful plant and planting, Mark! 
The upper leaf surfaces seem amazingly hairy for Salix reticulata, no?  Descriptions, and the plants I see in the mountains here, which I assume to be S. reticulata , have the upper leaf surface as glabrous and shiny... ?   

[mark smyth]

Mark if S. vestita stays small I would grow it in a trough. The Polygala flowers well every year even though is has yellowing leaves.

My S. reticulata has very hairy leaves when they first open. Here it is in March this year

[TheOnionMan]

Beautiful plant and planting, Mark! 
The upper leaf surfaces seem amazingly hairy for Salix reticulata, no?  Descriptions, and the plants I see in the mountains here, which I assume to be S. reticulata , have the upper leaf surface as glabrous and shiny... ?   

Checking the Hulten's Flora of Alaska, there are 56 Salix species described, most having 2 or more subspecies described, more than half the species are dwarf.  For S. reticulata ssp. reticulata, it is described as "leaves extremely variable in form and pubescence".  Also described is S. reticulata var. gigantifolia (leaves 5 cm in diameter), f. villosa (pubescent on both sides with long, silky, white hairs), var. semicalva (glabrous on both sides), ssp. orbicularis (leaves more rounded to cordate, glabrous or nearly so, glabrous petioles and stems), and ssp. glabellicarpa (possibly a hybrid, glabrous or partly pubescent capsules).  So... it's variable!   

Interestingly, most species described are circumpolar to some extent.  The text indicates lots of introgression and hybridization among "species".  The one I'd like to see, is S. tschuktschorum (syn. S. berberifolia), that has shiny holly-like spinulose leaves.

[Lesley Cox]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they do Cohan, especially those species that make suckers freely. There's no doubt that willows are wonder riverbank binders and whereever a line of willows can be seen in the NZ landscape (none are natives of course) you can be sure there's a river wending its way alongside.

By all means ask John W about his photos, thought the one I saw certainly wasn't his, much too long ago.

[Lesley Cox]

Sorry, I totally missed tis second page before the last note.

The pink catkins on S. cordifolia are really superb and closer to what I remember of S. cascadensis, though its catkins, presumably male, were taller, wider and deeper red. Or perhaps it's just an aging brain remembering through rose-tinted spectacles. There's a nice mixed metaphor!

[maggiepie]

Beautiful plant and photographs, Mark.

[TheOnionMan]

Beautiful plant and photographs, Mark.

As I hoped to make clear, I cannot take credit for the photographs, they're not mine. 

[Maggi Young]

Beautiful plant and photographs, Mark.

As I hoped to make clear, I cannot take credit for the photographs, they're not mine. 

 TWO MARKS INVOLVED HERE, FOLKS!!