Salix alba var. vitellina 'Britzensis' (m)
Approx. 0.5 litre pot
About this cultivar:
Salix alba var. vitellina 'Britzensis' (m) is an all-male cultivar which is most noted for the fact that its new growth stems turn red to orange-red in winter. In order to maximize this red stem effect, this plant is often grown as a multi-stemmed shrub with the branches being cut back heavily each year in late winter to about 1' from the ground before new growth appears. Plants are fast growing and can usually produce 6-8' of new growth in one growing season - which is part of the reason flower arrangers love them. Sometimes also grown as a tree and pollarded (branches are annually cut close to the trunk in late winter to promote dense growth of new stems) as a way of promoting best red stem growth and showcasing the same. If not pruned severely, 'Britzensis' can eventually mature into a large shrub or medium size tree! (See photo).
- Position: Full sun, partial shade
- Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
- Flowers: May, June
- Other features: --
- Hardiness: Fully hardy, grows well in Ballyrobert, H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15°C)
- Habit: Bushy
- Foliage: Deciduous
- Height: 60 - 1200 cm (2 - 40 ft)
- Spread: 60 - 900 cm (2 - 30 ft)
- Time to full growth: 20 to 50 years
- Plant type: Shrub
- Colour: Green, red, yellow orange
- Goes well with: --
About this genus:
Salix (sa-liks), otherwise know as willows, sallow, and osier is a genus of around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Salix is the Latin word for willow - probably originally from the Celtic, sal, near, and lis, water.
They grow just about anywhere! There is so much to say about this genus I'm not sure I'll even start. Any advice should really be species or cultivar specific.
