fragilis ‘River Cloud’

In 2014 found a large group of cloud-like trees near the Susquehanna River in New York State that made me jump out of the car as I had never seen this before! I thought I had found the Crack Willow–Salix euxina. In May 2017 our plants produced female catkins for the first time. As soon as I saw them I knew we didn’t have the species Salix euxina as the catkins were long and narrow, whereas the catkins of Salix euxina are short and stout. We had a selection of Salix xfragilis. It is similar to the fabled Salix euxina ‘Bullata’ but that has a single trunk usually and is usually dome shaped, not cloud-like.

Our apologies for any customers who bought this as Salix euxina; I hope that you forgive this error.

This willow thrives along river banks or the edges of lakes, its natural home, but is equally happy on our property with no rivers within miles! It is called Crack Willow because the two-year old branches snap off very easily.