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BambooPlants 300w - Salix purpurea 'Nancy Saunders'
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Ships in ON, QC, NB, NS and PE
  • Hardy
  • Canadian Grown
  • Value Packs
  • Shipped in ON, QC, NB, NS, PE

Salix purpurea 'Nancy Saunders'

Nancy Saunders Purple Willow, Nancy Saunders Basket Willow

Main interest:
very attractive vivid red stems in spring and summer, shiny red twigs in winter, 4 to 5 ft long stems, thin rods, fine basketry, black-grey catkins
Exposure:
full sun to partial shade
Soil humidity:
moist to wet soil
Flower colour:
black turning grey then pink and finally yellow
Fragrance:
Non-fragrant
Flowering period:
April
Foliage:
grey green
USDA Hardiness:
zone 3a: -40 °C (-40 °F) View Zone Map
Mature height & width (max.):
height: 8 ft (2.4 m) width: 5 ft (1.5 m)
Use:
screens, hedges, fedges, bank stabilization, pond or creek side, flower arrangements, living willow structures, cut stems, small gardens

Salix purpurea 'Nancy Saunders' is a multipurpose and outstanding basketry willow. Maybe the best for fine basketry! An elegant, smaller male willow, with delicate narrow blue-green leaves, on slender, shiny red stems. Stem and leaf colour deepens in autumn, with leaves finally turning yellow. Small (1”) silvery catkins cover the shrub in early spring. They start black-grey, and turn pink and yellow with abundant pollen. Attracts bees like crazy!

Will grow in full sun to partial shade. The greater the sun exposure, the brighter and more colourful the stems. Left unpruned, Nancy Saunders produce lots of twiggy, colorful growth and smaller leaves. If unpruned the shrub can reach 6 to 12 feet tall. Coppice every couple of years to keep the shrub compact, and develop good stems for fine basketry. When coppiced it produces 4 to 5 ft long straight stems, with long narrow leaves. Or, leave every couple of years to develop more catkins. Can be used in small gardens if pruned right after flowering in early spring. Stems are a lovely dark brown to grey-green when dried for basketry.

Please use availability information as a guide only. The weather is a fickle thing, and impacts when our plants are actually available for shipping. Please be aware that we are not answering emails regarding plants availability. The best advice we can give you is to check back once in a while, choose a size option and check the current stock.

This product is currently out of stock and unavailable. We don't know when it will be back in stock. Please visit this page for updates.

Main interest:
very attractive vivid red stems in spring and summer, shiny red twigs in winter, 4 to 5 ft long stems, thin rods, fine basketry, black-grey catkins
Exposure:
full sun to partial shade
Soil humidity:
moist to wet soil
Flower colour:
black turning grey then pink and finally yellow
Fragrance:
Non-fragrant
Flowering period:
April
Foliage:
grey green
USDA Hardiness:
zone 3a: -40 °C (-40 °F) View Zone Map
Mature height & width (max.):
height: 8 ft (2.4 m) width: 5 ft (1.5 m)
Use:
screens, hedges, fedges, bank stabilization, pond or creek side, flower arrangements, living willow structures, cut stems, small gardens

Also known as: Purple Osier Willow, Purpleosier Willow, Violet Willow