irrorata ‘Violet Beauty’

This is a selection of the Bluestem Willow with violet stems as well as bright red buds and petioles. We received it as cuttings from the Chicago Botanic Garden labelled Salix geyeriana, another Southwestern species, but with much more slender stems. In the Flora of North America, Prof. George Argus describes the species thus: “Stems: branches (highly brittle or not at base), red-brown to violet, usually glaucous, glabrous; branchlets yellow-brown, (strongly glaucous or not), glabrous, sparsely velvety, or tomentose.”

The most distinguishing feature of this selection is the violet stems that have a powdery white (glaucous) covering. It flowered for the first time in the nursery in late April and the catkins are female. It grows 8-10ft tall with very upright branches. Best if coppiced every 1-2 years.