Purple willow
Salix purpurea · Salicaceae
📷 Willow · CC BY-SA 2.5
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around purple willow and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Flowering
- March to April (catkins)
- Adult size
- Up to 4 m in height
- Growth
- Fast
- Hardiness
- Very hardy (down to -20°C)
- Origin
- Europe, Asia Minor and Caucasus
- Soil type
- Moist to fresh, well-drained
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Prune this willow short in winter (February) to produce beautiful purple stems the following year. Consistent soil moisture helps achieve the most vibrant colors.
The common mistake
Not pruning or pruning too lightly: branches thicken, darken, and lose their beautiful purple tint.
The pro's trick
Prune short and regularly (every 2-3 years): this rejuvenates the wood and intensifies winter color.
Care
Watering
Purple osier appreciates moist soils and does not tolerate prolonged drought. Water regularly, especially during hot periods, keeping the substrate fresh without waterlogging. In temperate climates, natural rainfall is often sufficient outside of heat waves.
Exposure
Install purple osier in full sun for optimal growth and dense branching. It also tolerates part shade but then produces less wood and flowers. Sun exposure promotes the beautiful purple coloration of its young shoots.
Pruning and cutting
Perform annual pruning in late winter (February-March) to maintain shape and stimulate the production of young colored shoots. For osiers grown as rods or planted ornamentally, shorten the main branches by a third. Purple osier wood is traditionally harvested for weaving.
Soil and planting
Purple osier thrives in rich, moist and well-drained soil, even slightly acidic. It tolerates somewhat chalky soils. Plant it in spring or autumn in a sheltered location, enriching the soil with organic matter at planting time.
Fertilizer and nutrition
An application of compost or well-decomposed manure in spring is generally sufficient to maintain soil fertility. In case of slow growth, a balanced fertilizer applied in April can support development.
Diseases and pests
Purple osier is generally robust. Watch for willow rust and powdery mildew in humid and poorly ventilated situations. Aerate the canopy through regular pruning and avoid excess stagnant moisture around the roots.
Did you know?
Purple osier has been cultivated for centuries in Europe for the manufacture of baskets, ropes and woven objects: its flexible and resistant wood makes it a precious material. Its name 'purpurea' refers to the red-purple hue of its young stems, particularly visible in winter, making it also a very ornamental shrub for winter gardens.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- AspenPopulus tremula
- Goat willowSalix caprea
- Grey willowSalix cinerea
- White willowSalix alba
- Eared willowSalix aurita
- Creeping willowSalix repens
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.