Salix babylonica VAR. pek. Tortuosa - Dragon Claw Willow, Plant in 12 cm Pot

This charming, deciduous, small tree is an RHS award winner. It is native to China and much of north east Asia. Synonymous to Salix matsudana Tortuosa, it was introduced into the Uk in the 1700's and has since become a feature of many parks and gardens. Grown primarily for its twisted and contorted twigs, branches and trunks, it makes an attractive and interesting winter feature, as well as being highly popular with florists. In spring small yellow catkins are produced around the same time as the leaf buds open. The leaves are lanceolate, attractive green on top with a silvery underside and tend to shimmer in a strong breeze. They turn a respecatble colour of yellow in autumn. Mature trees develop a fissured bark that adds to the tree's asthetic effect. Easy to grow in a full sun or semi shade location, it is not fussy as to soil type but does prefer moist or wet soils. Can be used to great effect planted close to water margins. It will however, tolerate short periods of drought. Can be used in a mixed planting or as a stand alone specimen in the garden or can easily be grown in a pot. When growing in a pot or other container. Use a good quality John Innes compost as this plant will be there a long time and peaty types of compost eventually degrade and become too packed and choke the roots. Ensure the pot is always moist. In hot weather can be stood in a saucer of shallow water to reduce the need to water. Feed regularly as a hungry plant is a poor performer. We recommend Osmoscote pro 8 -9 month applied in the early spring. One application gives all the nutrients the plant requires for the whole year. John Innes is a soils based compost. These plants grow very rapidly in the growing season so please be aware the plant you receive will likely have been recently pruned. All this will do is give you a better quality tree with more branches!