Salix repens var. nitida - Creeping Willow
Salix repens var. nitida - Creeping Willow
Salix repens Nitida
Creeping Willow, Sand Willow
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This plant carries a 24 months recovery warranty
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Description
Salix repens var. nitida is a variety of creeping willow with very limited growth, highly ornamental with its beautiful semi-weeping bird's nest habit and its small foliage covered with silvery and shiny down in spring, turning grey in summer. The flowering in April, in the form of small silky catkins turning yellow at maturity, occurs just before or at the same time as the appearance of the leaves.This deciduous shrub is a very versatile plant in the garden: it forms an excellent ground cover for slopes, allows for beautiful pots for the terrace and bright low hedges almost maintenance-free, alone or mixed with other shrubs. Comfortable in heavy, moist to wet and slightly acidic soils, this small willow also tolerates drier conditions.
Salix repens belongs to the willow family. It is a botanical species with creeping underground stems, native to a large part of Europe and temperate Asia. This willow grows naturally on dunes, in wet heathlands and sphagnum bogs. It is also found in medium mountain meadows, up to 1700m (5577ft) altitude, always on acidic soil. The dwarf 'nitida' variant, is distinguished by a particularly dense, bushy, spreading habit, supported by flexible branches, erect at the base, trailing at their ends.
When mature, this small willow with fairly slow growth will not exceed 60cm (23.6in) in height and 75cm (29.5in) in spread, slowly expanding through suckers. The young branches are almost smooth, then become grey-brown and downy with age. The deciduous foliage is composed of small leaves arranged alternately. The young leaves are covered with extremely shiny silvery down on both sides. The adult leaves, entire, ovate to oblong in shape, measure 1.50 to 2.5cm (0.6 to 1in) long. The lamina is grey-green, downy, while the underside is lighter in colour, covered with silvery bristles and traversed by discreet veins. The flowering takes place from March to May, usually before the appearance of the leaves, sometimes at the same time depending on the climate. Male and female subjects are separate individuals, as with all willows. In this variety, the small oval, dense catkins measure about 1.5cm (0.6in) long. They are initially silver-grey, then yellow when all the flowers have opened, browner at the top on male catkins. The fruit, of variable colour and appearance, is a capsule sometimes very cottony that releases decorative seeds covered with long bristles.
This small silvery willow offers a variety of uses according to each gardener's taste. It easily fits into a small garden or in a large pot on the terrace where one can enjoy its superb foliage up close. Slightly trailing and suckering, it forms a lovely ground cover at the edge of flower beds, near water features. but also on drier slopes as long as the soil is deep and retains moisture. It can also be used in rockeries or for the creation of low hedges and rustic hedges requiring little maintenance, alone or in the company of dwarf purple barberry, dwarf forsythias, dwarf Russian almond (Prunus tenella) or dwarf ornamental apple tree (Malus 'Pom Zai') to animate a slightly wild area of the garden. Prune it regularly after flowering to encourage it to thicken and produce numerous flowering branches. For example, it can be associated with dogwoods (Cornus sanguinea, Cornus sericea), Miscanthus, gorse or reed mace at the edge of a large pond.
There is such a diversity of forms, sizes and cultivation requirements among willows that it is impossible not to find among them a subject that will thrive in your garden. A willow always brings a bucolic and natural touch, sometimes very original, romantic or elegant depending on the varieties.
Note: In France, the Salix repens is a protected plant in Burgundy, Centre-Val de Loire and Ile de France.
Salix repens var. nitida - Creeping Willow in pictures
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Planting and care
Plant the Creeping Willow preferably in autumn, in a very sunny or semi-shaded position in a warm climate. It requires a fairly deep soil, preferably neutral to acidic, rich in clay, moist to wet, even waterlogged. However, it can tolerate drier soils as long as they retain some moisture at depth. Ideally, when planting, use a mixture composed of half turf or heath soil and half clayey garden soil mixed with coarse sand. It is perfectly resistant to cold and heavy frost. Pruning is not essential, but this bush tolerates it well, in late winter, before the vegetation resumes.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.
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