PlantFiles: Nishiki Willow, Dappled Willow
Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki'

My interest is woody plant taxonomy. I am not a gardener. I was looking at my sister's nishiki willow in NH and noticed that leaves and new growth twig are arranged oppositely more often, or at least as often, as alternately. Certainly more often than any other willow variety that I know of. I have never seen Salix integra, the species, so I'm not sure if it is a characteristic of the species or only of the cultivar. It was just a curious discovery that I've never seen in the literature but probably is somewhere.

Actually, this wasn't entirely the plant's fault: After planting, I neglected it a bit, the bindweed grew around it, and the snails finished it off.

So that was definitely a negative experience for me, not to mention the poor little willow.

We planted two of these last year - they seemed to be doing just fine all through the summer and fall. One didn't make it through our MN winter but the other came back and looked beautiful. We replaced the one that died - gave the new one lots of TLC and right now, it looks terrible. The leaves on the outer edges are turning brown and drying up. It can't be lack of water - we've watered AND had adequate rains.

The other shrubs, planted around them are doing very well, so I know it's not from lack of care. I'll be replacing both of them this year with something else. I think they're beautiful, when they're alive, but don't think they like it here.

This is a variation of your typical willow. It's a nice looking shrub, but it also has the disadvantages of most willows. It loves water and will grow into septic systems and drains and clog them completely if planted within 75 or 100 feet. It also grows extremely fast and large. It can be pruned very hard with no ill effects. It will also grow in damp areas in the shade, but the color won't be as attractive. Trimmings of almost any size can be rooted very easily by simply placing them in a bucket of water. Keep it away from septic systems or you'll be replacing your leach field - and that isn't cheap!!

I've had 2 of these beauties. One I killed by leaving a Xmas tree light string wrapped around the trunk (mine is grafted) too long and it strangled the tree -- one morning I noticed a few brown leaves at the ends of the branches and by the end of the day 75% of the leaves were brown. Took the wire off, never revived. The second one just up and died last week -- no wires --it just started turning brown and almost overnight all the leaves are brown. It's about 7 years old, in central NC -- we've had plenty of rain (my lawn is lovely green; usually dried-out-brown by this time of summer) so I don't know what happened. I've seen no bugs, caterpillars, or any other signs of pests. But my tree looks very dead. Dang. I hate when that happens. Any ideas?

Great tree for a damp area of the garden. This is it's first year in my garden.

I do have a question tho...it has long...willow-like growth/branches...and looks kind of unsightly. Does it grow in a weeping form or should I prune it lightly (tips) or prune back to where the best leaves are.

Thanks a lot

I would like to hear your experiecnes with keeping the Nishiki Willow in tree form. How successful have you been in doing this?

I've had my hakuro nishiki about 10 years, bought as a standard and keep it pruned in a globe-shape to about 12 ft. height, about 8 ft. diameter. I've got the perfect spot for it next to my rose garden with about a dozen different colored coral bells planted beneath the canopy - and they love it, too. Also have 3 smaller hakuro niskiki bushes planted under the canopy at the corners. With this right next to our screened in patio, I never get tired of the view.

Very hardy. Mine is about 5x5, and have 2 side by side. Full sun, all day. Very little water. My motto here in Colorado, you either make it with what water you get, or something else will. 4th yr in ground, and has put on abt 1/2 ft growth, probably because of unusually wet spring and summer. Wide open to harsh winter weather, including strong winds. Again, very hardy!

The plant IS definitely beautiful, however, as a few other people have mentioned, it gets VERY large, compared to the 4-5 ft high the original tag mentioned. Mine is now about 15 feet tall with a spread of at least 10 feet! I try to grow it as a standard or tree form, but it sprouts constantly from the trunk. Unfortunately, I believed the info and planted it in too small of a space. I have tried to start whips of it in other areas- they would start, but die before the next season, so I am afraid to move it. I would recommend this plant, if you have the room!

I grow this shrub in my zone #5 garden, in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. I have it in standard form and mine is gigantic. It's 12 to 13 foot high and probably 15 feet wide. The color is fantastic and it's definitely a focal point, see photos.

I live in Northern Utah and this plant is growing here. I bought it at a local nursery three years ago and kept it in the pot for a year before I planted it in the ground. I almost killed the tree because it was next to my house, and the sun reflecting off the house and me not keeping the soil wet just about dried it to just a stump. I moved it to the front of my yard away from the house and kept it watered and it survived. I planted it a year later and it is the most beautiful tree in my yard. It seems like a hardy tree to go through all that.
The trunk is about 5 feet tall put the limbs reach 8 to 9 feet high and about 8 feet wide until I prune it. It gets 9 to 10 hours of sunlight a day so the leaves do have a pink glow all summer. I was told by the nursery that the more sun it gets the more the pink will show up.
This tree is a conversation piece with people that are passing by. It is close to the sidewalk and they can reach out and touch it if they like. It looks wonderful in front of my wifes rose bushes and a hedge of 2 foot high boxwoods.

I would disagree with the 6 ft, mine was at 7 ft before I pruned it back. I have two and boy do they love water. They are most eye catching shrubs in my backyard with the marble green, white and pink. Mine are growing in full sun and clay soil. I usually have to prune more after it has been raining. If you have room for one in your garden, get it, you won't be sorry.

Took well to a very wet somewhat sunny spot in our woodland edged yard and help control erosion. Grows fast and big especially because the deer here have left it alone.

After moving to South Carolina from Colorado, my wife and I have searched high and low for a local garden center that sells this wonderful plant. Thank goodness for the Internet because it looks like I've found a place nearby to purchase some. And I do mean "some."

I'm no botanist but maybe somebody who knows better can confirm my hunch:

One of the posters said that she really liked this plant but wished she could get more of the pink color. When we lived in Colorado, our Nishikis were loaded with salmon colored leaves. Spectacular! The area we lived in had a high iron content in the soil. Could this have contributed to the coloring?

A very nice specimen shrub. But my experience doesn't support the projected 4 to 6 ft. height. Mine reached about nine feet in height and eight feet wide. I was constantly pruning it (almost weekly). It was overgrowing everything around it and after three years I transplanted it to a wide-open area. It probably grew so large due to good soil and an abundance of water from a nearby downspout.

i have had good experiences with these beloved plants. I currently have about a dozen. My neighbor is curious if they will bother water lines like willow trees, which love to tap into water sources. I am not sure if they do or not. I have not heard of any problems with that. The only down side, is that the past two summers have not been easy on the ones planted in full sun and they do not seem to be doing well. I live in north east tennesee.

I love this plant. It grows VERY fast but can be kept as a well-behaved shrub. It needs to be pruned back to produce those gorgeous white/pink stems and leaves. It appears nearly totally white/pink! Mine are in partial shade-sun. Being willows, they love water but mine to well even in dry summer months with minimal watering. They look great next to the dark, almost black leaves of a black lace elderberry.

I have only had this for about a year. Absolutely beautiful this spring. Shades of green, white and pink. It's about 3 ft. tall now, and I really like it that size, so I will prune to maintain this size. I also paired mine with russian sage.

Nice shrub. Give it room to grow or you will need to prune it. It does take to pruning well. Color is more vaiations of white and green and less pink.

I live in Westminster Maryland and planted this plant in the Spring. The shrub I bought was very variegated - with wonderful shades of white, green and pink. I planted this shrub in my front planting beds where it gets Sunlight for about 8 hours a day. Mostly morning to early afternoon sun since it faces the East.

The first year all new growth was only green. I never could figure out why. I even cut it back, but all the new growth was again green - no white at all.

The second year - new growth started as green, but then it quickly changed to white, green and pink. It really turned into a beautiful shrub this, the second year. So much so that I want more of these. It has so much interest looking at it from a distance or close by. I only wish it had more pink in it. I know there must be a way....

Ken

This is an attractive deciduous shrub, the leaves of which are subtle shades of green, white and pink with weeping branches that flow delicately in the wind. Cut branch tips look lovely in a bouquet of roses and generally have a couple of side shoots which can be used to prop up weak-stemmed roses.

It goes very well with ornamental grasses,sedums,and russian sage.I keep it smaller with heavy pruning.One of my favourite shrubs!

Lovely well mannered Salix.
When young the branches are rather spikey,
but as it matures they develop a semi-weeping habit.

The new foliage is absolutely white developing a green variegation w/ age.
The new shoots are pink maturing to a deep reddish color.

We have two and wish we had room for more.

If you want a show stopping shrub look no further.