Creeping Willow (salix repens)
40-60cm
£2.16
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Creeping Willow (salix repens)
£2.16
Native low-growing deciduous shrub (typically 0.5–1 m high × 1–1.5 m spread). Excellent ground cover, especially for banks, slopes, coastal sites, rock gardens, and wildlife gardens.
Silvery-hairy young leaves and shoots; small yellow-green catkins in spring that attract early pollinators. Tough, fully hardy, low-maintenance, and useful for soil stabilisation.
Planting advice
- Best time: Late autumn to early spring while the ground is not frozen.
- Position: Full sun (tolerates some light shade); exposed or sheltered sites, including coastal.
- Soil: Any deep, moist soil (clay, loam or sand); moist but well-drained or poorly drained. Tolerates acid, neutral or alkaline pH. Avoid shallow chalky soils.
- How to plant: Dig a hole wider than the root; incorporate organic matter if soil is poor. Plant at the same depth as in the nursery, firm soil, water thoroughly and mulch to retain moisture. Space 1–1.5 m apart for ground cover.
- Aftercare: Water regularly in the first 1–2 summers during dry spells until established. Once settled it is fairly drought-tolerant if moisture is available at depth. Minimal pruning needed; remove dead or unwanted growth as required.
Photo credit: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)