Salix subopposita - Willow

Salix subopposita, also known as the Japanese dwarf willow, is a compact deciduous shrub that is not commonly available for sale. This shrub, resembling a bonsai, is appreciated for its attractive compact habit and remarkable spring flowering: in March-April, its silver and then golden catkins literally cover its upright branches, before the appearance of the soft bluish-grey foliage. Well-suited for small gardens, it thrives in sunny locations near water sources, in borders or rock gardens, always in clayey, moist to wet soil. Its branches covered with silky catkins are stunning in bouquets.

Salix subopposita, sometimes called Salix sibirica var. subopposita, belongs to the salicaceae family. It is a slow-growing and very compact deciduous botanical species, native to southern Japan, Quelpaert Island, and South Korea. This low-growing and spreading shrub consists of numerous yellowish and branched stems near the ground. At maturity, this small willow will not exceed 1m (3ft) in height with a spread of 1.20m (4ft). The deciduous foliage is composed of slightly hairy three-lobed, small, lanceolate leaves, bright green when budding, and greyish-green in summer. The particularly ornamental flowering takes place in March-April, before the leaves appear. The upright 3cm (1in) long silver and silky catkins, tightly cover the branches which take on a beautiful golden hue when mature.

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This adorable Japanese willow offers a variety of uses according to the preferences of the gardener. It easily fits into a small garden or in a large pot on the terrace, where one can enjoy its remarkable flowering and beautiful foliage up close. It forms a lovely ground cover along borders, near water sources, or in rock gardens and drier slopes as long as the soil is deep and retains moisture. It can also be used for creating low and rustic hedges that require little maintenance, alone or in combination with dwarf purple barberry, dwarf forsythias, Russian dwarf almond (Prunus tenella), or dwarf ornamental apple tree (Malus Pom Zai) to animate a slightly wild area of the garden. Regular pruning after flowering will encourage it to become bushier and produce numerous flowering branches. It can be associated with dogwoods (Cornus sanguinea, Cornus sericea), miscanthus, gorse, or reed mace along the edge of a large pond.

There is such a diversity of forms, sizes, and cultivation requirements among willows that it is impossible not to find a subject among them that will thrive in your garden. A willow always brings a bucolic and natural touch, sometimes romantic, or elegant depending on the varieties.