Purple willow (Salix purpurea)

Purple willow (Salix purpurea) is a shrub that can grow 3m – 8m tall and 3m – 8m wide.

This plant has several common names including: purple willow, purple osier, bitter willow or basket willow.

This is a deciduous plant that takes 10-20 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: purple willow, purple osier, bitter willow, basket willow
Scientific name: Salix purpurea
Plant type: Shrubs
Habit: Spreading / Branched
Height: 3m – 8m
Spread: 3m – 8m
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist but well drained, Poorly drained
Garden type: Coastal, Wildlife Gardens
Planting type: Hedging & Screens, Low Maintenance

Seasonal colors

How to plant Purple willow (Salix purpurea) – image source

Cultivation profiles – Growing Purple willow (Salix purpurea) – Xemenendura, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons