Salix alba Liempde - White Willow

The Salix alba Liempde is a male cultivar of the white willow selected originally for the production of wood for marquetry. With a very slender trunk supporting a tall pyramidal crown, it has a narrower and more delicate habit than the traditional silver willow seen on riverbanks. Its green leaves, slightly larger, have a beautiful silky sheen and reveal a silver underside that beautifully captures the light. Pruned late, it will be kept in proportions more suitable for a large garden. A willow always brings a poetic atmosphere to the garden. This one, more resistant to rust, is also one of the most planted in wetland landscaping.

Originally from wetlands in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa, Salix alba is a highly adaptable and fast-growing tree. It belongs to the family Salicaceae and the genus Salix, which includes no less than 300 species distributed in the cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This species is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are borne separately.

The 'Liempde' white willow is a male plant. It has a generally narrow pyramidal habit, supported by branches that stand upwards. Ultimately, it will reach an average height of 22.50m (74ft) and a width of 9m (29ft) if not pruned. Severe and regular pruning, every 3 years, will however limit its height to 4 or 5m (13 or 16ft). The long, flexible branches are brown-yellow to grey in colour, and slightly furry when young. They bear leaves that are 11-12cm (4-5in) long, narrow and lanceolate in shape. Both sides of the leaf surface are silky, with the upper surface being shiny and a deep green-grey colour, and the lower surface a silver-white colour. They turn yellow before falling in autumn. Flowering occurs in April-May, at the same time as the young leaves appear. The male aments of 'Liempde' are slender, 3 to 5cm (1 to 2in) long, arched and spread out, and yellowish in colour. The bark of this tree takes on a brown-greyish colour with age, cracking along its length and becoming cork-like in appearance. Its powerful root system, extensively spreading, is perfectly adapted to deep and unstable soils. For this reason, it is preferable to keep this willow away from pipes. The white willow is also a medicinal plant, with its bark being the first source of aspirin. Salix alba can reach the venerable age of 100 years.

The 'Liempde' white willow can be planted as a standalone tree or on the edge of a water feature in large gardens. Its silvery foliage is valuable for bringing light to a darker scene. Among the plants that can accompany it near the water, you can find horsetails, reeds, willowherbs, daylilies, Scirpus, and Typha angustifolia, for example. They can also be planted close together to create a large hedge.

Tips: Collect the fallen leaves in autumn and burn them if the tree shows black spots (anthracnose) or yellow-orange spots (rust) during its growth.