Salix chaenomeloides is a large East Asian willow with unusually broad, oval leaves and reddish new growth. It is native to China, Korea, and Japan, not to the US. Some American nurseries sell plants under this name as "Japanese pussy willow," but these often turn out to be a different, shrubby willow.
Appearance
- Appearance
- A deciduous tree reaching 33–65 ft (10–20 m), with grayish-brown, deeply furrowed bark.
- Leaves
- Alternate, elliptic leaves about 1¼–4 in (3–10 cm) long. New leaves are tinged red.
- Flowers
- Male and female catkins grow on separate trees. In Korea it blooms in April, as the leaves come out.
Look-alikes
Rose-gold pussy willowSalix gracilistyla
Rose-gold pussy willow is a shrub, usually under 20 ft (6 m), whose fuzzy gray catkins with a pink tint open in March–April. Salix chaenomeloides is a large tree that blooms in April along with its new leaves.
Why they get mixed upNurseries often sell rose-gold pussy willow and its hybrids under the name Salix chaenomeloides.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Streambanks
- Wetlands
- River edges
- Range
- Native to China, Korea, and Japan. It is not native to North America.
- Preferred conditions
- Prefers moist to wet soil and usually grows in or near water.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
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