Description
Salix sericea
CT RG P
Soil: Fine-textured loam, Well-drained
Light: Full to Part Sun
Moisture: Moist to Wet
Plant Height: 10 to 12 feet
Plant Width: 8 to 12 feet
Pests: Susceptible to powdery mildew and leaf spot.
Landscape Value: Great for low areas, wet fields, along streams and ponds, and in rain gardens. Good for soil stabilization.
Large, fast-growing, multi-stemmed shrub capable of forming dense colonies. Leaves are narrow, dark green above, with dense silky white hairs on the undersides, making the shrub a good alternative to the invasive Russian- and autumn-olives. Foliage turns yellow in the fall; twigs turn purplish with age. Flowers occur in catkins that resemble small bottlebrushes and bloom in early spring on bare stems before new leaves appear. Male and female catkins occur on different plants. Flowers provide early season pollen for pollinators, including butterflies, moths and large numbers of native bees. Tolerates short periods of flooding, clay soil, and sandy soil. Provides cover for songbirds, waterfowl and game birds. If located along waterways, helps aquatic life by reducing soil runoff. Do not plant near piping or sewers as roots may break into them for water. Larval host to Acadian hairstreak butterflies.
1 gallon pot, 18-24 inches
Photo credits:
Native Plant Trust (photos by Donald Cameron, Arthur Haines, & Alexey Zinovjev)
