Black willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’)

Black willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’) is a shrub that can grow 3m – 8m tall and 3m – 8m wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Black willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’).

This plant is commonly known as black willow.

This is a deciduous plant that takes 5-10 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: black willow
Scientific name: Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’
Plant type: Shrubs
Habit: Bushy
Height: 3m – 8m
Spread: 3m – 8m
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist but well drained
Garden type: City & Courtyard Gardens, Coastal, Informal Garden
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding
Other characteristics: RHS Award of Garden Merit

Seasonal colors

How to plant Black willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’) – peganum from Small Dole, England, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Shrubs are fundamental elements in any garden.

They add color and interest throughout the seasons with their wide variety of flowers, foliage, fruits, trunks and stems.

Whatever the size or style of your garden, the permanent woody structure or the foliage of evergreen shrubs will give the space shape and dimension.

How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Black willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Black willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’) is not a demanding plant regarding the type of soil and can grow in clay, loam or sand.

• Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

• Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’ likes to grow in moist but well drained soil.

Sunlight

Black willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’) should be grown in full sun places.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Black willow (Salix gracilistyla ‘Melanostachys’) – Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons