Salix lapponum

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Salix lapponum

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Kemper Code: J960

Common Name: downy willow
Zone: 3 to 7
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Salicaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: Northern Europe to northern Asia
Height: 3 to 5 feet
Spread: 3 to 5 feet
Bloom Time: July - September
Bloom Color: Yellow to red anthers
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium

Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Best grown in sandy or rocky, medium moisture soils in full sun to light shade. Tolerates poor soils.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Downy willow or Lapland willow is native to alpine areas in Europe and Asia including Scandanavian areas within the Arctic circle. It is a densely-branched, deciduous shrub which typically grows to 5' tall. Elliptic-oblong to lance-shaped leaves (to 2" long) are downy olive green above and woolly gray green beneath. Silvery catkins with yellow to red anthers appear in spring just before or as the leaves emerge.

Problems:

Salix lapponum has not been extensively grown in the St. Louis area, and it is not yet clear how this alpine shrub will adapt to the St. Louis climate. Willows are generally susceptible to a number of disease problems including cankers, blights, galls, leaf spots, powdery mildew and rust. Potential insect pests generally include borers, caterpillars and scale.

Uses:

Rock gardens. Slopes. Shrub borders. May be difficult to find in commerce.