Salix repens var. nitida - Creeping Willow

Salix repens var. nitida is a variety of creeping willow with very limited growth, highly ornamental with its beautiful semi-weeping bird's nest habit and its small foliage covered with silvery and shiny down in spring, turning grey in summer. The flowering in April, in the form of small silky catkins turning yellow at maturity, occurs just before or at the same time as the appearance of the leaves.This deciduous shrub is a very versatile plant in the garden: it forms an excellent ground cover for slopes, allows for beautiful pots for the terrace and bright low hedges almost maintenance-free, alone or mixed with other shrubs. Comfortable in heavy, moist to wet and slightly acidic soils, this small willow also tolerates drier conditions.

Salix repens belongs to the willow family. It is a botanical species with creeping underground stems, native to a large part of Europe and temperate Asia. This willow grows naturally on dunes, in wet heathlands and sphagnum bogs. It is also found in medium mountain meadows, up to 1700m (5577ft) altitude, always on acidic soil. The dwarf 'nitida' variant, is distinguished by a particularly dense, bushy, spreading habit, supported by flexible branches, erect at the base, trailing at their ends.

When mature, this small willow with fairly slow growth will not exceed 60cm (23.6in) in height and 75cm (29.5in) in spread, slowly expanding through suckers. The young branches are almost smooth, then become grey-brown and downy with age. The deciduous foliage is composed of small leaves arranged alternately. The young leaves are covered with extremely shiny silvery down on both sides. The adult leaves, entire, ovate to oblong in shape, measure 1.50 to 2.5cm (0.6 to 1in) long. The lamina is grey-green, downy, while the underside is lighter in colour, covered with silvery bristles and traversed by discreet veins. The flowering takes place from March to May, usually before the appearance of the leaves, sometimes at the same time depending on the climate. Male and female subjects are separate individuals, as with all willows. In this variety, the small oval, dense catkins measure about 1.5cm (0.6in) long. They are initially silver-grey, then yellow when all the flowers have opened, browner at the top on male catkins. The fruit, of variable colour and appearance, is a capsule sometimes very cottony that releases decorative seeds covered with long bristles.

This small silvery willow offers a variety of uses according to each gardener's taste. It easily fits into a small garden or in a large pot on the terrace where one can enjoy its superb foliage up close. Slightly trailing and suckering, it forms a lovely ground cover at the edge of flower beds, near water features. but also on drier slopes as long as the soil is deep and retains moisture. It can also be used in rockeries or for the creation of low hedges and rustic hedges requiring little maintenance, alone or in the company of dwarf purple barberry, dwarf forsythias, dwarf Russian almond (Prunus tenella) or dwarf ornamental apple tree (Malus 'Pom Zai') to animate a slightly wild area of the garden. Prune it regularly after flowering to encourage it to thicken and produce numerous flowering branches. For example, it can be associated with dogwoods (Cornus sanguinea, Cornus sericea), Miscanthus, gorse or reed mace at 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 among them a subject that will thrive in your garden. A willow always brings a bucolic and natural touch, sometimes very original, romantic or elegant depending on the varieties.

Note: In France, the Salix repens is a protected plant in Burgundy, Centre-Val de Loire and Ile de France.