Purple Willow, Purpleosier Willow, Arctic Willow
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Habit is a very fine-textured, rounded to upright-oval, and densely branched shrub, 8-10' tall and wide. Occasionally grows to 18', but not common. Spreads as it ages. Upright habit of youth becomes more horizontal, spreading to arching with maturity, Rapid growth rate. Has a relatively short longevity due to various insect and disease problems, and weak branches that break in storms.

Native Range

Native to Europe and northern Africa to central Asia and Japan. Long cultivated.

Flower and Fruit Details

Flowers are dioecious; catkins appear in April-May, before the leaves, and are narrow-cylindrical, often curved, 1-2" long, with 2 stamens, fused, light green to greenish-yellow, or red to purple-black. Flowers attract butterflies. Fruit is an ornamentally insignificant brown capsule, containing small seeds, and appearing only on female plants.

Leaf and Bark Features

Deciduous: Leaves are alternate, or sometimes opposite to spiral, 2-4" long and 0.12-0.33" wide, linear to oblanceolate, serrulate near the tip, shiny dark blue-green above, pale green, silvery-blue/glaucous beneath, with a 0.16-0.33" petiole & occasional stipules. fall color is not significant, green to chartreuse or sometimes purplish-black. Notable Bark: Slender stems start out purplish-red with purplish or red buds, then changing to light gray or olive-gray, glabrous. Bark becomes slightly fissured on mature basal branches.

Culture and Care

If this shrub gets overgrown, cut it to the ground in early spring to rejuvenate. Does well in wet areas. Zones 3-6. Tolerates clay, wet soils, and proximity to black walnut trees (juglone). Prefers full sun to part shade, and moist soils. Tolerates poor soils, clay, acid or alkaline, and drought. Transplant in the early spring. Tolerates shearing. Susceptible to various foliar diseases, blights and cankers. Many insect pests, including aphids, scale and borers.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Deer-resistant. 4-season interest: Spring, summer, fall, winter. The stems are used in basket-making.

Suggested Uses

A good plant for slopes and embankments, and for stabilizing stream banks and pond edges. Also used for hedges and rain gardens, Looks good when planted near ornamental grasses, or as a specimen plant, or in group or mass plantings, or for screening.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA