Fedge | Vermont Willow Nursery

purpurea x koriyanagi

Aric Vanselous — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 15:56:18 +0000

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Willow AT A GLANCE

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USDA Hardiness Zone

Blooming Period

Mid Spring

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Sex

Female

Potential Height

At least 10, likely 20 ft

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Uses

Living structures, fedges, large weaving projects

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The post purpurea x koriyanagi first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

calodendron

Lisa — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:51:44 +0000

This tribrid is found sporadically in Europe wherever the three species are found together. But, as in siblings in a family, no two seedlings are exactly alike. This one was selected because of its fine form and vigor. It is a fairly erect tree 20-40ft if allowed to develop a trunk or a dense bush if it is coppiced for rods. The trunks and larger branches are brown and twigs are green at first and turn red later in summer where the sun reaches them. The stems are persistently pubescent (dense hairy); they turn brown their second year. Leaves can grow to 6 inches long and 1.5 to 2 inches wide and are oblong or oval-shaped, pointed at top and rounded at the base of the leaf. The upper surfaces of the leaf is dull green and the undersides are densely pubescent with dense gray hairs and a prominent veins. The overwintering flower buds are short and fat and are covered with dense hairs. When the bark is stripped, striae can be seen; these are commonly found in Salix cinerea and its hybrids. Female catkins are produced before the leaves (precocious) in late March or early April and are densely arranged on the ends of the stems as in S. viminalis. It grows naturally in damp places, but tolerates any soil that doesn’t dry out too quickly. Makes tough and flexible rods that are useful for basket-making or fedges; also used as an ornamental plant. Best if coppiced every 1-2 years to keep an abundance of stems available.

Description Credit to Michael Dodge

The post calodendron first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

rubra ‘Harrisons Brown’

Aric Vanselous — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:07:44 +0000

purpurea x viminalis

rubra = red

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Willow AT A GLANCE

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USDA Hardiness Zone

Blooming Period

Mid Spring

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Sex

Female

Potential Height/Width

10-20 ft

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Uses

Course weaving

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The post rubra ‘Harrisons Brown’ first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

rubra ‘Harrisons’

Aric Vanselous — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:58:27 +0000

Rubra is a natural hybrid found in many locations in the UK and throughout Europe where the two species grow near each other. It produces a tall shrub or small tree 10-20ft high. Many selections have been made and as the rods are long and flexible they have been used for over a hundred years for basketry. All Rubras have green undersides to the leaves and have pubescent (furry) young stems and leaves. It has never flowered for us, so we can’t tell you anything about them. I haven’t been able to find out why ‘Harrisons’ and ‘Harrisons B’ were selected. I’ll do more research and fill you in, if and when I find out! They are both very vigorous growers for us in VT and make lots of rods from very dense stools (the term for coppiced willows).

Description Credit to Michael Dodge

The post rubra ‘Harrisons’ first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

meyeriana ‘Silver Lake’

Aric Vanselous — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:40:38 +0000

Prairie Reflection® Laurel Willow

(pentandra x euxina)

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Willow AT A GLANCE

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USDA Hardiness Zone

Blooming Period

Mid Spring

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Sex

Female

Potential Height

40 ft

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Uses

Ornamental

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The post meyeriana ‘Silver Lake’ first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

meyeriana ‘Patent Lumley’

Aric Vanselous — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:36:22 +0000

‘Patent Lumley’ is a striking female clone that was introduced by the US Forestry Service in the early 1900’s as a cultivar of S. pentandra. I cannot find out any more information about this choice selection. Ours flowered for the first time in 2014 after 6 years in the nursery. Wow, did they put on a show! It produces an abundance of bright green female catkins with the emerging leaves in May. The foliage is one of the most attractive of all willows. Unlike Salix pentandra the branches are brittle (check out the video on the next variety page!).

Description Credit to Michael Dodge

The post meyeriana ‘Patent Lumley’ first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

meyeriana ‘Lumley’

Aric Vanselous — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:32:10 +0000

Hybrid Bay or Laurel Willow is a natural hybrid between two willows native to Europe and the Caucasus, this created Salix xmeyeriana. I believe that this hybrid was then crossed with Salix lucida (native to North America) by the US Forestry Service around 1900. This makes a magnificent 60 x 40ft tree with very large, attractive, very shiny, dark leaves reminiscent of Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus). It can be kept smaller with coppicing or heavy pruning. As broad-leaved evergreens are rare in Northern Vermont, this can perform the same function as Cherry Laurel; even if it is just in summer. The foliage is one of the most attractive of all willows. This is a male selection with showy catkins that came misidentified as Salix lucida; the Hybrid Bay Willow has much larger and shinier leaves than the native Shiny Willow, especially when coppiced! The name was changed from S. pentandra as the twigs are very brittle, whereas S. pentandra are not.

Description Credit to Michael Dodge

The post meyeriana ‘Lumley’ first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

purpurea

Aric Vanselous — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 23:03:49 +0000

This is a male form of the species that is responsible for producing so many variations;

we were generously allowed to take cuttings of this plant from the Arnold Arboretum in 2014 (their accession number AA1045-79-D). This forms a vigorous upright shrub with somewhat arching branches when mature. The leaves and stems are very bitter as it contains large amount of Salicylic acid; too bitter for most animals to eat! However, we have recently learned that cows will eat Salix purpurea varieties. What is so amazing about this selection it that it is the most rust resistant purpurea I have in my collection of 26+ varieties! Rust is not usually a problem in most willows, but in exceptionally rainy springs and summers, several may be infected—as are many other types of plants.

It has showy male flowers typical of the species that appear before the bluish-gray leaves, typical of the species, appear. It is a European and Western Russian native that has naturalized widely over Northeastern North America (including Fairfield VT) and the NW Pacific Coast. One such plant, a wildling in a ditch by the side of the road I had admired for many years for it’s very slender growth, was removed to build a driveway last year. Luckily I had taken cuttings of it the previous year.

Description Credit to Michael Dodge

The post purpurea first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

purpurea ‘Light Dicks’

Aric Vanselous — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 17:53:37 +0000

This cultivar originated in England around 1908. It is a male selection with gray bark when mature. The leaves are 2.5-5in long, light green in color with a yellowish central vein; the top section of the leaves have fine saw-tooth edges. The fine rods are purplish on the sunny side and olive-green on the shady side. This willow is grown for medium to fine willow basketry work. The one-year old stems of ‘Light Dicks’ are a very attractive pale reddish brown and they grow to a length of 6-8ft long once established. ‘LD’ seems to be resistant to pests that cause branching. If left to mature, this willow variety will grow into a spreading shrub up to 15ft tall.

Description Credit to Michael Dodge

The post purpurea ‘Light Dicks’ first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.

purpurea ‘Goldstones’

Aric Vanselous — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 17:40:08 +0000

Purple Willow

purpurea = purple

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Willow AT A GLANCE

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USDA Hardiness Zone

Blooming Period

Mid Spring

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Sex

Male

Potential Height/Width

Grows up to 8 ft in one year in optimal conditions, though likely tops out at 20 ft

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Uses

Weaving, one of the better wards against deer, living structures, fedges

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The post purpurea ‘Goldstones’ first appeared on Vermont Willow Nursery.