fragilis f. Vitellina ‘Chermesina’

This German cultivar of the Fragile Willow forms a tall, columnar tree, growing to at least 50ft. Noted for its crimson young stems in winter and orange stems in summer, so it’s often coppiced every 1-2 years to encourage vigorous colorful new growth. Can be also be pollarded. Grow in full sun to get best color, in moist or wet soil. Do not plant near drainage pipes/septic systems. Often confused with ‘Britzensis’ in Public Gardens and nurseries–easy to tell which it is by bending second-year wood backwards–if it snaps  easily, it’s ‘Chermesina’. Also, the young leaves of ‘Britzensis’, especially on coppiced plants, have lots of silvery-gray hairs (as does S. alba).