Salix miyabeana SX64
miyabeana = after Dr. Miyabe Kingo, a Japanese botanist
Chinese Willow
This willow was given to us by a Canadian friend who, not being a serious gardener, thought we might like to add it to our collection. Unfortunately he didn’t remember where it came from, perhaps as cut stems in a winter display. Whatever its source, it’s a handsome, vigorous shrub with attractive, clean foliage. Young twigs are red and turn yellow/green as they mature. So far our plants are about 14ft high and not quite as wide. We coppice it every year and it produces lots of straight rods, perfect forliving structures. We eventually discovered that it is Salix miyabeana SX64 and selected by the University of Toronto, whose willow breeding program was taken over by SUNY Syracuse and Cornell University. Hardy to Zone 3.
USES: As a specimen plant, extremely useful for living willow structures and coarse basketry.
These are 4 year-old unpruned plants in the nursery. They make me believe that they will make handsome specimen plants, but also produce great rods when coppiced--which I'll do this year.
below: Branches are colorful for several years, red at first, then yellow-green, finally green with red buds and lenticels (corky breathing pores along the stems of woody plants).
Here is the same group in the nursery covered in male catkins.
below are male catkins in various stages of development.
Beautiful glossy foliage that stays attractive all summer.
Green on top and bluish green underneath.
Bark stays green for several years and has tiny red buds and lenticels (the red 'scabs' that are 'breathing pores')
WillowWorld
of Michael Dodge