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Salix daphnoides 'Continental Purple'

Violet Willow

Plant Type:

DECIDUOUS SHRUBS

Salix daphnoides 'Continental Purple' - ​Deep, dark red-brown-purple glossy-barked stems in winter are a knockout when planted with conifers with golden or bright blue needles and deciduous shrubs with different colored winter stems such as yellow-twigged dogwoods or Itea virginica. Leaves a blue-green. Catkins emerge in late winter / early spring in great abundance upon this male clone. This selection of the Violet Willow was made in Western Europe. Coppice every year or two for a plethora of stems with better winter color. Established pot grown shrub from cutting.


Please scroll down to the Genus Overview for more information.


Height:

20-30 feet

Spread:

20 feet

Zone:

4 to 8
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Characteristics and Attributes for Salix daphnoides 'Continental Purple'

Season of Interest (Flowering)

  • Late Winter / Early Spring

Season of Interest (Foliage)

  • Spring / Summer / into Autumn

Interesting Bark

  • Smooth
  • Colored

Nature Attraction

  • Honey Bees & Native Bees

Light

  • Full Sun

Attributes

  • Marginal
  • Hedgerow
  • Cutting Garden
  • Natural Garden
  • Accent
  • Hedge
  • Basketry

Growth Rate in the Garden

  • Rapid

Soil

  • Moist
  • Draining
  • Fertile

Origins

  • Western Europe

Propagated By

  • Cutting Grown

Genus Overview: Salix

Common Name: Willow

Salix. These are the willows, a large genus of woody plants. Some willows are small shrubs, others grow into huge trees and there are many bushy species which fall in between. All prefer sun planted in fertile moisture retaining soils; some are tolerant of quite wet feet. Many have quite attractive lanceolate leaves with silvery undersides that flash in summer breezes… I have often thought of these as the “poor man’s bamboo”. Some have contorted and beautifully colored bark which shines in the winter landscape. Many sport beautiful winter/spring catkins. Nearly all willows have utilitarian applications in fencing, rods, basket making. All are very prune-able; in fact, any of the larger shrubs depending upon how you desire to employ them will respond well to pruning and coppicing. When coppiced those with beautifully colored winter stems display many more of them. And as with ornamental shrub dogwoods younger stems exhibit the best, most intense winter tones. All ornamental characteristics will be presented according to species/cultivar. All of the following offerings are established pot grown shrubs from a cutting. We may prune back all larger growing selections prior to shipping so that you will not incur the extra handling charge.