With its twisted branches, the distinctive catkins and an imposing stature, the corkscrew willow has taken the hearts of gardeners by storm. With its unmistakable appearance, the Asian ornamental shrub drives the sadness out of the garden even in winter. Use the profile to explore the wonderful attributes of a corkscrew willow.
The corkscrew willow comes from East Asia
System and properties at a glance
The corkscrew willow not only visually enriches our lives. Their conspicuous, winding branches are often used as craft material to realize creative ideas for house decoration or to weave small baskets. Reason enough to take a closer look at the special characteristics.
- Belongs to the willow family (Salicaceae)
- Chinese willow (Salix matsudana) cultivar
- Name of the hybrid: corkscrew willow (Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa')
- Native to East Asia, primarily China and Japan
- Deciduous non-toxic ornamental shrub with twisting branches
- Growth heights in culture from 200 to 800 cm
- Flowering period from April to May with catkins
- Lanceolate, wavy, acuminate leaves, 5-10 cm long
- Shallow roots with an aggressive tendency to spread
It is not so much the 1.5 to 2.5 cm small grey-white flowers but rather the woolly catkins, which are up to 15 cm long, that increase the ornamental value of a corkscrew willow in May and June. Especially at this time, the twisted branches are in great demand as vase decorations.
care tips
Apart from regular watering when it is dry, the corkscrew willow rarely requires your gardening attention. You should not additionally promote the vigorous growth of the shrub with fertilizer, especially since the annual growth is up to 100 cm anyway. It is precisely this rapid growth that is noticeable in the care program. So that the ornamental tree does not grow too much for you, it should be consistently cut back once a year in late winter.
tips
You can braid a beautiful spring wreath from the twisted branches of a corkscrew willow in no time at all. Simply braid 5-6 branches together and pin the ends together. The resulting gaps are filled with seasonal flowers, complemented by pretty silk bows. Perfection is not required here, but creative naturalness.