Salix alba Dart's Snake - White Willow

Salix alba 'Dart's Snake' is regarded by specialists as the most vigorous and resilient of the twisted willows. It is a small deciduous tree, interesting due to its clearly visible twisted branches in winter, its unusual foliage composed of twisted leaves, as well as its spring flowering of yellow catkins. Left unpruned, this willow develops a broadly conical habit supported by serpentine branches. A willow always brings a romantic atmosphere to the garden. This one is unique, suitable for medium or large gardens. It will look splendid as a solitary specimen, by the edge of a pond or water feature.    

Salix alba 'Dart's Snake' is an interspecific hybrid, originating from the Netherlands, resulting from the cross-breeding between Salix alba var. argentea and Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa'. This cultivar has synonyms Salix x sepulcralis 'Dart's Snake' and Salix alba 'Snake'. It is a highly adaptable and fast-growing small tree. It belongs to the Salicaceae family and the Salix genus, which includes no fewer than 300 species distributed across the cold regions of the northern hemisphere.

Salix alba 'Dart's Snake' is characterised by its contorted and twisted branches. This tree can reach approximately 6 m in height and 4 m in width. Young specimens have a columnar habit, while the crown takes on a broadly conical shape over time. The unusually shaped branches, covered in glossy dark green or yellowish bark, are particularly decorative. The narrow, quite long, dark green leaves are also twisted. They turn yellow in autumn before falling. This variety includes male and female forms, with the former producing large yellow catkins in spring, while the female flowers remain discreet. Flowering occurs in April-May, simultaneously with the appearance of the young leaves. The bark of this tree takes on a brown-grey colour over the years and cracks longitudinally. This willow adapts to different types of soil, preferably fertile, damp to moist, and even tolerates periodically flooded land. It grows best in sunny locations.

This twisted white willow 'Dart's Snake' is most beautiful in its natural form, unpruned, although it tolerates pruning very well. It can be planted as a solitary specimen or at the edge of a water feature in small or large gardens. Among the plants that can accompany it near the water are horsetails, Typha, Lythrum (loosestrifes), Scirpus and the marsh iris (Iris pseudacorus), for example. Its branches are interesting in floral arrangements and dried bouquets.

Tip: Collect fallen leaves in autumn and burn them if the tree shows black spots (anthracnose) or yellow-orange (rust) during its growing season. Once all the leaves have fallen, treat with Bordeaux mixture.