Dappled willow is a shrubby willow from East Asia that is not native to the United States. Americans know it mainly as 'Hakuro Nishiki', a garden variety whose new leaves come out pink and then turn white and green. Unlike most willows, it often carries its leaves in opposite pairs.
Appearance
- Growth form
- A deciduous shrub usually 3–10 ft (1–3 m) tall, with reddish to yellowish young shoots.
- Leaves
- Pale green leaves about 1–4 in (2–10 cm) long, often in opposite pairs or in whorls of three — unusual for a willow.
- Flowers
- Small brownish to reddish appear in spring. Male and female catkins grow on separate plants.
- Fruit
- The seeds carry white fluff.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- riverbanks
- gardens
- Range
- Native to Japan, northeastern China, the Russian Far East (Primorsky Krai), and northern Korea. In the US it is grown as an ornamental.
- Preferred conditions
- In the wild it grows near water, such as along riverbanks.
Growing it
- Care
- 'Hakuro Nishiki' reaches about 10 ft (3 m) tall but can be kept much smaller, and it is hardy to 4. It is often grafted onto a straight willow stem and kept as a ball-shaped head; cutting it back in winter encourages new shoots.
Name and classification
- About the name
- It is closely related to purple osier (Salix purpurea) and has sometimes been treated as a variety or subspecies of it.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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