viminalis ‘Bowles Hybrid’

We have had plants by this name for a number of years trying to find more information about it. We can’t find a good description of this willow that was discovered by the famous English plantsman E.A. Bowles and no one seems to know its other parent. It is most likely that what we have is not this hybrid, but a three-way cross between Salix viminalis, Salix aurita and Salix caprea (perhaps xsmithiana x aurita). It is certainly not the same as the aurita x viminalis hybrid we offer as the leaves and habit are entirely different. The one comment I found on ‘Bowles Hybrid’ in that it has long leaves like Salix viminalis. Ours has 3-4in ovate leaves! What we do know is that it is one heck of a vigorous grower that produces the strongest, toughest, heaviest rods of any willow in our collection; it is also densely twiggy at the bottom of the rods, making it impenetrable. It tolerates heavy wet soils, exposed locations and even coastal salt-laden winds (as does Salix viminalis); but no willows survive submersion in salt water.