Willow Tree

Types of Willow Tree

There exists over 350 different species of willow tree, and since willow tree species easily fertilize each other, there are also numerous examples of willow tree cultivars to be found in the wild as well as in gardens and parks.

Type of Willow Tree: Peachleaf Willow

The Peachleaf willow is a species of willow native to the United States and the southern parts of Canada where it grows in prairie landscapes, preferably close to rivers and streams. Its scientific name is Salix amygdaloides.

You will often find this type of willow together with Cottonwood in the wild. This type of willow tree is known to grow extremely fast, but it is also comparatively short lived.

This type of willow tree can grow up to 18 metres in length, which make it one of the tallest trees on the prairie. As you may have guessed already, the leaves of this type of willow tree looks somewhat similar to those of a peach tree. They are typically between three and eight centimetres long and from one to three centimetres wide. Their colour is a yellowish green, and the underside of each leaf has a pale, white shade. The catkins develop during spring and are 3-7 centimetres long and of a yellow colour. The fruits are reddish to yellow, approximately 6 centimetres long and will be ready during late spring or early summer. Most types of willow tree can propagate from roots or even from broken pieces of twigs, but the Peachleaf willow tree can only spread by seeds.

Type of Willow Tree: Corkscrew Willow

This type of willow tree is a hybrid famous for its branch pattern that is especially noticeable during the winter when the leaves have fallen off. The branches and twigs are contorted and twisted and will arise from the trunk at an acute upward angle. The branches will then grow upwards more or less parallel to the tree trunk until they change direction and begin to curve back to horizontal growth.

The formal name for this type of willow tree is Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa' and it is also known as Dragon's Claw Willow and Tortuosa Willow. A mature Corkscrew willow will typically be from 20 to 40 feet high and have a spread of 15-30 feet. The growth rate for this type of willow tree is very rapid and the Corkscrew willow can be successfully planted in almost any type of soil. It will however prefer wet soils with reduced drainage. The recommended sun exposure is full sun to partial sun. The leaves of the Corkscrew willow are narrow and green and will turn yellow in autumn.

Type of Willow Tree: Pink Pussy Willow

The type of willow tree looks more like a shrub than a tree. Its formal name is Salix discolor rosea. The Pink Pussy willow grows rapidly and will tolerate almost any type of soil. This type of willow tree is popular thanks to the pale pink catkins it displays every spring. As early as mid January you can cut branches from your Pink Pussy tree and bring them inside. When exposed to room temperatures, the Pink Pussy tree will soon be in full bloom. Place the branches in a water filled vase in a spot where it receives plenty of sunshine. The Pink Pussy willow flowers from on growth from the previous season, so it is not recommended to prune this type of willow tree until the flowers have faded

Willow tree flower

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