Salix purpurea 'Fish Creek'
Plant Patent #17710 issued 05/07/2008
purpurea = purple
Purple Willow
A male selection of the purple willow that was developed by SUNY Morrisville and SUNY Syracuse as part of a program to produce new willows adaptable to many sites and display restance to pests and diseases. Also to create willows suitable for mechanical harvesting and processing for the biofuel industry. 'Fish Creek' was a cross between two S. purpurea clones #'s '94006' and '94001', that showed great potentiality in meeting these goals. 'Fish Creek' is the most vigorous and robust clone that this group has ever produced. It can grow 15-25ft and grow a 3–5ft base in three years, so it should be planted with 2' x 3' spacing. It has dark blue-green oblong leaves 2–3in long and 0.5–1in wide. Stems are brown at first but soon turn green and smooth. Winter flower buds are yellow orange I look forward to seeing the flowers for the first time later this year!
There are some new hybrids between the best purpurea clones crossed with the pest and disease resistant S. koriyanagi, the Korean equivalent to S. purpurea that are in production now.
USES: biofuels, windbreaks, screening, deer fencing; basketry and fine arts!
This information was obtained from the Cornell University "Willowpedia" blog of Dr. Larry Smart. SUNY = State University of New York
Healthy new growth on straight stems in late August in the nursery.
Flower buds sparkle brightly in mid-October; sometimes singly and sometimes in pairs.
The shoot at right is an older stem, lower on the plant.
Young vigorous plants in the nursery
from April 2105 cuttings.
Another test plot of Salix purpurea 'Fish Creek'
in a SUNY field. Note the number and density of rods!
The test plots of Salix purpurea in a SUNY field with 'Fish Creek' in the middle.
The pole is measured in 2ft intervals. Probably 3-4th year plots?
above and below right photos by Dr. Larry Smart of Cornell University.
Young male catkins elongating and expanding with pink tipped anthers that start to turn yellow with pollen in the right photo. Mid April.
WillowWorld
of Michael Dodge