Plant Of The Month

Corkscrew Willow

When most homeowners think "willow" probably one of two plants come to mind; either that harbinger of spring the pussy willow (actually probably goat willow but that's a topic for another time), or the graceful yet weak-wooded weeping willow.

Yet there is another willow that I see with a certain amount of regularity that I think is a very handsome tree in the landscape. I am, of course, referring to Salix matsudana and its several cultivars. According to the authors on Wikipedia, S. matsudana and S. babylonica, the Babylon willow, are so similar that only tiny floral characteristics separate them. For this reason some taxonomists list both names as synonyms for the same species.

"But wait," you say, "Babylon willow has a weeping growth habit." Actually, the basic species of both of these trees have an upright, rounded growth habit, and it is the cultivar 'Pendula' of S. babylonica that is the weeper. Still, the younger branchlets of S. matsudana do have a pendulous nature.

And by the way, Michael Dirr in his Manual of Woody Landscape Plants asserts that most of the weeping willows we see out there are actually Salix alba 'Tristis', the golden or Niobe weeping willow (if in doubt look for the yellow, or "golden" branchlets).

Probably the most interesting characteristic of Salix matsudana is its curiously twisted and yellowed young branchlets. This feature is much accentuated in the cultivar 'Tortuosa', which goes by the common names corkscrew willow and, the more exotic, dragon's claw willow. In this cultivar, even branches that are several years old retain the twisted characteristic giving the entire tree a very distinctive look.

The leaves of corkscrew willow are the narrow, almost linear, leaves that most folks identify with willows. They are generally up to 3 to 4 inches long, and, in that 'Tortuosa' cultivar, even the leaves are tortuously bent and twisted, as can be seen in the accompanying photo.

Of course a big liability of corkscrew willow, as with many willows, is its relatively short life span and tendency to be weak-wooded. Still, when a quick growing tree is called for, this may be just the trick. Dirr notes that this species has good salt tolerance, is very cold hardy, probably to the point of being heat intolerant, and is more drought tolerant than other willows. From personal observation I can also tell you it will grow just fine right on the edge of a pond.

Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa' is available from only five nurseries in Ohio; Beardslee Nursery in Perry, Melragon Landscape Nursery in Columbus, North Branch Nursery in Pemberville, Stropkey Nurseries in Painesville, and Willoway Nurseries in Avon.

Article and photo by David Emmitt, Program Manager-Plant Science and Landscape Technology, Cuyahoga Community College, Eastern Campus. The program's curriculum is accredited by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) and courses taught include botany, woody and herbaceous landscape plant materials and entomology. He received both his Bachelors and Masters degree from Kent State University.