West Wales Willows


Little Guide
to
Willow Positioning

 Willow Beds

The table below is meant as a rough guideline only.
Willows are very versatile and some of the estimated 1400 species grow in a variety of environments ranging from arctic regions to tropical Africa.

All the willows we grow are accustomed to a more moderate climate, but each willow is able to exhibit slightly different growth characteristics like rod colour, leaf shape and rod length according to their planting position.
Great confusion exists therefore in the willow world with two willows of the same origin growing so different in different locations and subsequently being given local names, that these plants, although genetically being identical, are easily thought to be two different subspecies or hybrids.
This also means that all descriptions we give of our willows can solely be describing how these willows are looking here - we found for example last year that our Flanders Red was displaying a brighter red than the plants that had been grown in Somerset where our cuttings originated from.

Furthermore, different sources in the literature will recommend varying "preferred" positions for certain species.
The table attempts to condense recommendations. This does not necessarily mean that a certain willow would not grow at all on locations differing from these recommendations - but they might not grow as well or develop different characteristics.

Our ground here at West Wales Willows is a slightly acidic loam and we find growth and vigour of our plants extremely satisfactory and comparing very favourably to plantations grown at other locations.

Salix
alba 		Salix
ameri-
cana 		Salix
cap-
rea 		Salix
daph-
noides 		Salix dasy-
clados 		Salix fragi-
lis 		Salix nigri-
cans 		Salix
pur-
purea 		Salix
triandra 		Salix
vimi-
nalis
Sun
+
+ !
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
Half
Shade 		. .
+
+
 . .
+
+
 . .
Low-
lands
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Hill-
side
+
(+)
frost-
sensitive
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Mountain
+
-
+
+
+ !
(+)
-
(+)
+
+
Suitable for
Coastal
Areas 		. .
+
+
+
 . .
+
 .
+
S. vimi-
nalis
"Reifen-
weide"!
Tolerant to
occasional
flooding 		. . .
(+)
 . . . .
+
(+)
Tolerant to
droughts 		. . .
+
 . . .
+
 . .
pH
slightly acidic
to alkaline
 .
acid to
alkaline
slightly acidic
to alkaline
slightly acidic
to
alkaline
neutral to
alkaline
neutral to
alkaline
(slightly) acidic
to alkaline
slightly acidic
to alkaline
(slightly) acidic
to alkaline
Sandy soils:
+
 .
+
+
(+)
(+)
(+)
+
+
+
Loam
and
Clay
+
+
+
+
+
+
(clay)
+
- for clay
+
+
+ !

Click on the categories below
to find out which willows we recommend for the different purposes:

Willows for
Short Rotation Coppicing
and Windbreaks
Willows for
Living Structure
and Furniture
Willow for
Rough and Fine
Basketry
Ornamental
Willows
Early Nectar
Providing
Willows
Willows for
Flower
Arranging

If you are still unsure which willows will be the right ones for you,
give us a ring in the evening (up to 9.30pm) on 01437- 741 714
to speak to either Dave or Billa (during the day we are likely to be working outside)
and we will try and establish your needs and which willows would be best for your project.

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