Salix ‘Swizzlestick’ (Corkscrew willow)
RIGHT NOW IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, we thrive on thickets of colorful stems at Loomis Creek. Curled, twisted, and contorted twigs and branches add interesting architecture, too. For these reasons Salix ‘Swizzlestick’ wins plant of the week status during the last week of January.
Our friend and Epimedium guru, Darrell Probst, gave us cuttings of this upright corkscrew willow. He discovered it along Interstate 295 on one his trips to Pennsylvania – or so the story goes! In our minds Salix ‘Swizzlestick’ is a worthy improvement on Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’ – the more common corkscrew willow that often has an awkward shape and presence in gardens.
Salix ‘Swizzlestick’ produces sturdy, amber-yellow vertical stems that are fancifully gnarled and twisted. Characteristic of willows, growth is rapid – particularly in moist soils. In 2 to 3 years, ‘Swizzlestick’ reaches 20 feet with a distinct narrow, fastigiate outline. We favor planting young, 1-gallon plants of ‘Swizzlestick’ on 2-foot centers forcing them to intertwine for quick hedges and visual screens. A 60-foot-long planting forms the back wall of our nursery shade house (pictured).
Young, vigorous ‘Swizzlestick’ stems reward you with the most vibrant coral-orange hues after leaf drop in fall and winter. We coppice (the practice of cutting plants to ground level) our hedge of Salix ‘Swizzlestick’ every season in late March or early April. We harvest the stems for new propagation material, flower arranging material, pea staking, and swizzlesticks for cocktails (only kidding!). Stumps rapidly regenerate shoots during May and June that top out at 10 feet by mid-summer.
So, if Salix ‘Swizzlestick’ catches your fancy, talk to us now about propagating a quantity of starter plants to suit your needs.
USDA Zone 5; full sun to part shade.
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