sorry, sold out for
2018
Salix alba var vitellina ‘Flame Red'
Red Flame Willow
This hybrid was found by the Bergeson Nursery in Minnesota and is a multi-stemmed shrub 12ft x 8ft, the shortest selection of any hybrid of S. alba. I guess that one could have been S. alba 'Britzensis', because of the red stems. The other parent is probably
S. x fragilis (alba x euxina). There are dwarf selections of S. euxina; this would account for the lower stature of 'Flame'. ‘Flame’ has bright red to orange stems in winter that can be encouraged by hard pruning every 3-4 years. This is a female selection with green flowers that appear with the leaves on short stems. Grow in full sun to get best color, in moist or average soils. Coppicing regularly produces the best colored stems. Hardy to Zone 3.
USES: winter ornamental, cut stems for winter displays, it makes a spectacular hedge!
Flame Willow in our Winter Garden; truly justifying it's name!
Colorful in vases inside the house in winter as well as containers outdoors.
Flame Willow has it all: bright green foliage, bright red stems and pale green flowers and is suitable for small gardens.
Red stems, green leaves and yellowish-green catkins. Quite a show!
Female catkin of the Flame Willow
The colorful stems of the Flame Willow justify a place in anyone garden.
Red stems against a blue sky. Wow!
The leaves of the Flame Willows differ from S. alba in that they lack the gray, hairy undersides of the leaves.
Overwintering flower buds are flattened, much like Salix alba. Note the glands on the edge of the leaf (pale dots)
In late October the stems are brilliant red.
WillowWorld
of Michael Dodge