Willow Hedge Salix alba

Willow Hedge Plants Description

White Willow (Salix alba) is one of our UK native hedging species. Whereas Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) has narrow pointed leaves and Goat Willow (Salix caprea) rounded obvate leaves, White Willow has leaves midway between the two being long but oval shaped. They are distinctive in their colouring with a soft muted green colour on the upper with fine, silky, pale hairs to the undersides. The lovely silvery-white colour to the underside of its leaves is the reason it is so named.

Just prior to the appearance of the leaves in the spring, the White Willow develops catkins in abundance. The female catkins are silvery coloured, however the more noticeable male catkins are golden and extremely hairy but look attractive against the contrasting dark grey/brown bark. The male catkins are also full of nectar so good for early bees - and this species supports a total of 266 insect species and is particularly good for moths and caterpillars.

Willow along with Alder (Alnus glutinosa) is one of the few hedge species that tolerates and in fact grows most happily in moist or wet ground conditions. It is therefore ideal for waterlogged or poor draining gardens and it will even grow in poor soil conditions. It is worth noting however, that Willow's thirsty roots take up water from a large area, so it is best to avoid planting in close proximity to buildings. Willow also prefers sunny not shaded conditions in order to thrive and is salt tolerant so an ideal hedge species for coastal locations.

Salix alba has had many cultural and medicinal uses throughout its history. Its long, slender yet flexible branches were used in traditional basket weaving whilst its bark contains the phenolglycoside salicin, from which the everyday painkiller Aspirin is derived.