Grey Willow (Salix cinerea)
One of the most common Willows in the UK this tree is fairly small. Its silver male catkins which contribute to its name transform into bright yellow during March. Grey willow foliage is eaten by caterpillars of a number of moths, including the sallow kitten, sallow clearwing, and lunar hornet clearwing. It is also a food plant for the purple emperor butterfly.
The size of each plant is between 15 – 50cm in height from the root plug.
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Product Description
The Grey Willow (Salix cinerea) , grows to a height of 10 m but is often grown as a shrub reaching heights closer to 6 metres. It is ubiquitous in Britain, growing on damp landscapes and wasteland. Though its undersides are greyish-white, its leaves are smaller and can occasionally be mistaken for goat willow. It can tolerate a wide range of soils including acid, alkali, heavy soil and wet soil. The Grey Willow prefers moist areas and will frequently colonise swampy terrain, but it may thrive in all but the driest soil types. Excellent in coastal and exposed areas the tree is tolerant of low oxygen levels and extremely damp soil.
Grey Willow also acts as a magnet for wildlife. The flowers are produced in early spring in catkins 2–5 cm long; it is dioecious with male and female catkins on separate plants. Foraging bees can obtain crucial early pollen from the Willow's blossoms. Several butterfly species, including the Purple Emperor and Camberwell Beauty are specifically attracted to the Grey Willow's catkins. The symbolism of the Grey Willow tree is thought to include fertility, adaptation, survival, and fresh life.Tree Attributes
- Very fast growing
- One of the first trees to flower, making them vital to wildlife
- Its trunk can be submerged for long periods of time
- Can be planted in flood sites
- Once established it does not require any maintenance
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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
