Coral Bark Willow (Salix Alba Subsp. Vitellina ‘Britzensis’)

Features and Characteristics

Salix alba, commonly called white willow, is native to Europe, central Asia and northern Africa. It was brought to the U.S. in the 1700s by European settlers and has since escaped and naturalized in many parts of North America. This is an upright, fast-growing, deciduous tree than grows to 50-80’ tall with erect branching that typically forms a broad, loose, open crown. Bark is yellowish-brown. The species is now rarely sold, but a number of cultivars are very popular, including plants noted for weeping form and for showy red or yellow winter twigs. This is a dioecious species, with flowering catkins appearing on separate male and female trees in May. Male catkins (to 2” long) are somewhat showy, having tiny flowers with yellowish anthers and two stamens. Female catkins are smaller and non-showy, with greenish flowers. Narrow, lanceolate, finely-toothed leaves (to 4” long) are gray-green above and white-silky beneath. Leaves gradually taper at the bases. Variable fall color is usually a pale yellow, but sometimes appears as a quality yellow.

Var. vitellina, commonly called golden willow, produces new stems that are bright, golden yellow in color (especially noticeable and attractive in winter) which is the signature of the tree. Accordingly golden willow is often grown not as a tree but 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. Plant is fast growing and can produce up to 8′ of new growth in one growing season. The botanical variety name is derived from Latin and means egg yolk.

Genus name is the Latin name for this plant.

Specific epithet means white.

‘Britzensis’ 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. 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.