pretty willow help!

diggleken · #1 (**permalink**) 19-04-2010, 05:01 PM

This ornamental looking willow in a garden, small bush, 3ft high, cant ID it, any help out there please?
Cheers
Ken

artdemole · #2 (**permalink**) 20-04-2010, 11:48 AM

Could it be an older bud of Salix chaenomeloid

diggleken · #3 (**permalink**) 22-04-2010, 07:50 AM

Thanks artdemole, it could well be, thats a good stab, possibly also creeping willow, salix repans?
Any more ideas on that anyone?

Cheers
Ken

Martin1786 · #4 (**permalink**) 27-04-2010, 08:05 PM

Is there a picture of the leaves and one the general form of the plant? Only certain willows have bright red anthers.

solus · #5 (**permalink**) 27-04-2010, 09:47 PM

It looks very like a dwarf Swiss Willow Salix helvetica I have growing in a pot in my garden - I have a photo of the catkins I took last year which look a close match for yours, Ken.

diggleken · #6 (**permalink**) 28-04-2010, 08:08 AM

Thanks everyone, Martin and solus, this is another view that might help:-

Further thoughts?
Cheers
Ken

Martin1786 · #7 (**permalink**) 28-04-2010, 07:38 PM

I think that it is a form of Salix Helvetica as Solus says. I've looked it up in my book of Salix by Chris Newsholme. Unfortunately there isn't a photo in the book of that one. The various web sites have some wildly differing plants, but here is one that looks like yours: Salix helvetica - Saule suisse - Pépinière, plantes, jardinerie, achat en ligne

The description from the book fits and says that it has 'dark red anthers becoming golden when mature'.

diggleken · #8 (**permalink**) 29-04-2010, 08:12 AM

Excellent, that link looks like the bush I saw and the description is right, thats a grand steer from you two, thanks a lot.
New to me that species, even as a gardeners plant - and it is quite striking and pretty.

Cheers
Ken