Salix integra 'FLAMINGO' dappled willow

Flamingo is a newer sport of so popular Hakuro Nishiki dappled willow from 1979. It was found in a Dutch nursery Salixkwekerij Bontekoe, and boasts earlier colouring of new leaves and twigs that are rich pink, just like flamingo's feather. Leaves are deciduous, narrowly elliptic, 3-4 cm long, pea green with rich cream-white variegation. When new leaves emerge they are almost entirely creamy white gaining bright pink colour at the tips that disappears as the leaves mature in summer.

It grows very fast and is easy to grow. You can find it in most garden centres in shrub forms or grafted on stems of various height. Thanks to rapid growth regular trimming is recommended to keep its shape. The most common shape is a ball which requires initial cut in early spring, followed by trimming once or twice in the season, always after the leaves lose their pink colour. Fresh cutting will encourage new growth that will be 3-coloured again.

Willows can usually take almost any soil apart from too sandy, sharply drained, dry situations. They don’t mind compacted, heavy or water-logged grounds. Grow it in light shade or full sun with occasional watering on hot days of summer to prevent the leaves from drying out. Fully hardy to about -34°C.

Last update 12-06-2018