- Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)
- Mature Height 4 - 6 Inches
- Mature Spread 5 - 6 Feet
- Growing Zones 4 - 7
Creeping Willow, Salix repens, is a moisture-loving, low-growing shrub that features showy silvery catkins that turn yellow along bare stems in early spring. The oval leaves are 1 1/2” long and grayish green on top with a silvery underside. The spring-blooming, fuzzy, gray catkins are male and feature bright yellow anthers offering eye-catching form, texture, and color in the landscape.
Grown in Hardiness Zones 4-7, this ground-hugging deciduous shrub reaches a height of 4-6 inches with up to a 6 ft spread. Creeping Willow is also popular in dried flower arrangements. This is an ideal selection for use as an architectural ground cover, is effective at controlling erosion and stabilizing soil on banks and slopes, and is well suited for weaving and cascading down a retaining wall. This low-maintenance shrub also provides valuable habitat for a variety of wildlife.
Creeping Willow Care
Creeping Willow produce the most catkins when they are planted in a full sun location, ideally with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Creeping Willow adapts to a variety of soil types but prefers moist and well-draining soil with a pH ranging from 6.5-7.3. Provide plenty of water, particularly when first establishing your new plant to get it off to a great start.
Be sure to apply a layer of organic mulch around the root zone to help retain moisture. Remove any dead or crossing branches on your Creeping Willow to increase air circulation and sunlight around all the branches, spurring bud development and flowering. Every few years, you can prune the plant hard, removing more than 1/3 of the branches to encourage new vigorous growth. Propagate Creeping Willow by taking both hard and softwood cuttings, dipping the cut end in rooting hormone, and then placing it in the already moistened soil approximately 2-3” deep.
Creeping Willow Spacing
When initially planting Creeping Willow, allow for this low and slower-growing shrub to reach its full mature width in each direction from the center of up to 5-6 ft. If planting en masse, space each plant closer than 5 feet, but be prepared to control its spread and prune to maintain the desired shape. Prune in early spring before new growth appears.
Creeping Willow Information
| USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 - 7 |
| Plant Type: Bushes |
| Light Exposure: Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight) |
| Mature Height: 4 - 6 Inches |
| Mature Spread: 5 - 6 Feet |
| Spacing: 5 - 6 Feet |
| Habit: Spreading |
| Flower Color(s): Black |
| Flower Description: Black Creams |
| Bloom Period: April To May |
| Foliage Type: Deciduous, Variegated |
| Foliage Color(s): Green, Yellow |
| Foliage Description: Gray |
| Seasonal Interest: Spring Flowering |
| Watering: Average |
| Resists: Deer, Rabbit |
| Tolerates: N/A |
| Attracts: Butterflies |
| Container Role: |
| Uses: Borders, Containers |
| Features: Attracts Pollinators, Foliage Interest, Low Maintenance |
| Brand: |
| Common Name: Creeping Willow |
| Other Name(s): Creeping Willow |
| Scientific Name: Salix repens - Creeping willow |
- SKU:
- 1012519-pc
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
4.5" Pot
Also Known As:
4.5" Container
Plant Age:
~ 6 months
Plant Size:
~ 3"-6"
Pot Size:
~ 4.5"H x 3.75"W
Volume:
1.42 quarts
Quart Pot
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
2.5 Quart
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
#1 Pot
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
#2 Pot
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
#3 Pot
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
For more detailed information, please click here.
Plant Addicts Guarantee (Included On All Plant Orders)
Plant Addicts always guarantees your plant(s) will arrive happy & healthy. However, plant(s) are being shipped through the mail & sometimes accidents happen. If the plant is dead, has dried out roots or the incorrect item was shipped, just notify Plant Addicts within 3 days upon delivery. We may ask for pictures but will try to make it as easy as possible for you. Please note, plant(s) with damaged branches or wilted leaves will not qualify for this guarantee. Plants are very resilient and will rebound quickly when cared for correctly.
For more information on how to care for your new plants, please click on our guide below.
Guide: How to Care for Your New Plant(s)
Plant Addicts Warranty - 1 Year (Extra Purchase Required)
We encourage all plant lovers to purchase the Plant Addicts Warranty, whether you're a new gardener or an expert. There are many variables outside of anyone's control that can cause a plant to die. Hungry animals, drought, poor soil conditions, over watering, diseases & pests are all good examples of what can cause plants to die. The Plant Addicts Warranty is a 1 year warranty protecting you from all of the unknowns and will replace your plant if something were to happen to it.
The warranty is purchased on a per plant basis and must be purchased at the same time as the plant(s). We will cover 100% of the price of the plant, but the warranty does not cover shipping costs. SImply let us know if your plant has died within 1 year of receiving it and we will get you a new one shipped out as soon as possible (depending on the time of the year and availability). We may ask for photos for documentation purposes, but we try to make the process as easy as possible.
For more information, please click on our page below.
Plant Shipping
Below are some factors we consider when determining when to ship the plants depending on the timing of the order.
Winter to Early Spring
We ship only when it's warm enough to plant in your growing zone.
Sometimes plants aren't completely ready to sell and ship in early spring. We will wait until the plants are ready before shipping so you don't get a subpar product.
For Southern plants we will be able to ship much earlier than plants coming from our northern nursery.
Summer
If there is extreme heat we may delay shipping for a week or several weeks.
We review what areas the plants are traveling through as well as your location.
Fall into Winter
We’ll ship plants out all the way up to the end of the fall planting season!
Winter
Get your order in early to reserve your plants for Spring planting!
Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an automated email with tracking information.
Click here for more detailed shipping information.
Planter Shipping
Standard Colors: 2-3 business days
Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice
Please Note: On special orders there can not be any cancellations