Salix integra 'HAKURO-NISHIKI'

Hakuro Nishiki dappled willow is probably the most popular willow in our country. It originated in Japan and was introduced to Europe by a Dutch botanist Harry van den Laar in 1979. Its deciduous leaves are small, elliptic, 3-4 cm long, pea green with rich cream-white variegation. When new leaves emerge they are almost entirely creamy white gaining bright pink colour at the tips that disappears as the leaves mature in summer.

It grows reasonably fast and is easy to grow. You can find it in most garden centres in shrub forms or grafted on stems of various height. Thanks to rapid growth regular trimming is recommended to keep its shape. The most common shape is a ball which requires initial cut in early spring, followed by trimming once or twice in the season, always after the leaves lose their pink colour. Fresh cutting will encourage new growth that will be 3-coloured again.

Willows can usually take almost any soil apart from too sandy, sharply drained, dry situations. They don’t mind compacted, heavy or water-logged grounds. Grow it in light shade or full sun with occasional watering on hot days of summer to prevent the leaves from drying out. Fully hardy to about -34°C.

Last update 20-01-2011