Salix gilgiana aka Willow

Salix gilgiana is a deciduous willow shrub from Korea and Japan. It belongs to the willow family, Salicaceae. Its native range lies within temperate Asia. Plants For A Future describes it as fast growing. The supplied sources give no mature height or spread. They also give no species-level details about leaf shape or bark colour.

The plant bears flowers in catkins early in the year. Bees and other insects pollinate them. Each shrub has either male or female flowers. Grow both sexes if you need seed. A single plant cannot fertilise itself. Plants For A Future places this willow near Salix purpurea. It also reports that it crosses freely with other willows. The sources give no detailed account of its fruit.

Choose a sunny site with damp, heavy soil. This willow also grows in sandy and loamy ground. It accepts heavy clay, poor drainage, and brief periods of flooding. Moist or wet soil suits it best. Mildly acid to neutral soil is suitable, but chalk gives poor results. Plants For A Future says it cannot grow in shade. It describes the shrub as frost hardy but gives no hardiness zone. These needs make it a choice for sunny, damp ground.

Its strong, flexible stems have a use in basket making. Growers cut plants back each year to harvest stems. A two-year cycle can yield thicker poles for basket uprights. Mature wood cuttings offer an easy way to raise more plants. Take these from the current year's growth between November and February. They can go into a sheltered outdoor bed. Half-ripe cuttings taken from June to August also root readily. Sow ripe seed on the surface in late spring. Seed loses its ability to sprout within a short time, perhaps days.

Plants For A Future gives this willow a low food-use rating. The inner bark can be eaten raw or cooked. Dried bark can be ground and mixed with cereal flour. Its bitter taste makes it a food for times of shortage. Young shoots can also be eaten raw or cooked. The source describes their taste as poor. Leaves provide material for tea. Plants For A Future lists no known hazards. That statement does not establish safety for pets or all people. The supplied evidence gives no species-specific pest or disease details.