eriocephala ‘Russelliana’

This is an English selection of a North American species that forms a widely-branching shrub to 12ft with rich reddish-brown stems and red female flowers in late April in VT. The showy young leaves are translucent and a striking reddish purple; later the foliage is dark green above and pale green beneath. Best if coppiced every 2-3 years to produce lots of vigorous young shoots for basket making. The species name is derived from the masses of fluffy white seed heads.