Salix: Willows are versatile shrubs and trees, offering a variety of leaf types and colours

摘要

For diversity in its forms and uses, few plants can compare to Salix. There are more than 300 species of willow, mostly from the northern hemisphere, growing everywhere from river banks to sand dunes and alpine scree, Highly cross-fertile, more than 1,000 cultivars have been bred. The well-known large weeping willows, such as S, x sepulcralis var. chrysocoma, are a traditional feature of watersides, but there are many more shrubs than trees. Shrub varieties can be grown for their attractive catkins,foliage or winter stem colour or can be used for living windbreaks or tunnels. There are also ground-hugging species, such as the dwarf willow, S, reticulata Award of Garden Merit.