Salix myrtilloides Pink Tassels

A very cute little Himalayan willow (see the wood anemones there for scale) - inconspicuous most of the time, but the pinky purple catkins are very striking - complementing winter flowering heathers well and lovely with Narcissus species. 

A naturally picturesque gnarly alpine shrub - I've found it more adaptable in our increasingly dry south-eastern climes than other dwarf Salix. 
£12

Salix magnifica

Originally mistaken (out of flower) for a Magnolia - this species has broad lustrous oval hairless leaves and thick stems - completely different to what we normally think of as a willow.

This is the female form and the catkins are long and slender. A remarkable shrub for a retentive soil.
£16

Salix bockii

A very unusual willow for its summer/autumn flowering - the catkins are creamy white up to 2ins long on long slender branches covered in small oval grey green leaves.

Frankly it looks nothing like a willow, but is an adaptable small to medium shrub suitable for any not-too-dry soils in sun or semi shade.
£10

Salix gracilistyla Mt.Aso

Maybe the idea of a pink flowered willow sounds a bit kitsch but I promise you this one carries it off very tastefully indeed. This is a naturally occurring form of gracilistyla (not chaenomeloides as was originally thought) and can be quite a substantial shrub in time, very much like its relative the black willow (melanostachys) but with greyish twigs and leaves.
 
An easy and adaptable willow in any retentive soil in sun or part shade
5L pots ~ £23

Salix gracilistyla melanostachys

Salix gracilistyla melanostachys, originally uploaded by peganum.

A very wacky willow for you, this time grown for it's bituminous black catkins in early spring which sprout pale yellow anthers and have red highlights.
It's hard to get a good shot of this from a distance with any 'interference' in the background, but the black catkins, (see photo below) are striking. Potentially a large shrub but responds well to quite hard pruning immediately after flowering.


Specimen size plants - £30 - collection only