White Willow (Salix alba)
The largest species of willow, they are often found close to water. Its catkins are a good source of pollen for bees, and the branches make excellent nesting spots for birds. The tree's twigs are thin, flexible, and grey-brown, with large fissures appearing in the grey-brown bark as it ages.
The size of each plant is between 15 – 50cm in height from the root plug.
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Product Description
Salix alba, commonly know as White Willow can grow as giant towering trees, hedging or small shrubs. White Willow can withstand damp soil, but not prolonged submersion. Its leaves, which appear silver green in the spring and become yellow when they are ready to fall in the autumn. White Willow grows extremely fast and can grow to over 20 metres high and if untamed will reach this in diameter as well. Like all Willows they are perfect for planting beside lakes, rivers and streams.
White Willow hosts a large variety of wildlife, being home to over 250 different insect species including Comma butterflies feed on the trees leaves while bees feed off blossoms for food.In April, distinct trees display the yellow male and green female catkins; in June, the female releases fluffy white seeds.
White Willow is particularly useful for hedging as it can withstand damp or moist ground conditions and still grow.
Because of this, it is perfect for gardens that are overly wet or have poor drainage, and it may even thrive in unfavourable soil. However, it should be noted that willows are thirsty roots that absorb water from a wide area, thus planting near buildings is best avoided. To encourage growth of the hedge It is beneficial to mulch the hedge after planting with leaf mould or grass mowing to prevent weed growth. This can also be done with plastic or carpet cuttings and coated with soil. Willow also acts as great hedging for coastal areas since it can withstand salt and grow in sunny rather than shady environments.
Tree Attributes
- Sturdy yet flexible wood
- Early pollination
- Fast growing
- Can grow in very wet conditions
- Can grow up to 25 metres high
- Attracts a diverse range of wildlife
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Our Commitment
Our trees are planted, grown and cared for on site. This means, once the seeds are delivered to us we plant them, establish them in our polytunnels and then harden them off. The trees you are delivered have been with us since seed and we look after them until the moment they leave.
Every tree is handpicked and packaged with the utmost care and attention to ensure your trees are delivered fighting fit to help against climate change.
For more information, please visit the About Us page
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Deliveries
All postage and packaging charges for products delivered to the Mainland UK are included within the price. Additional charges apply for Northern Ireland, The Highlands & Scottish Isles, The Channel Islands, Scilly Isles & Isle of Man when ordering more than 8 trees.
As a guide, orders for 8 plants or more will be sent via a courier, 8 plants or fewer will be sent by Royal Mail.
For more information, please visit the Delivery page
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Refunds
Your happiness is our business and that is why we individually check every single tree that we send out. If you have a concern about your tree, please get in touch with us within 7 days so that we can diagnose the issue. Very rarely, we might ask you to send the tree back to us in secure packaging to help us identify the issue but often we can identify the issue with photographs.
For more information, please visit the Refunds page
