Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock' (Kilmarnock willow)

Other names: Salix caprea var. pendula, Kilmarnock weeping willow, Weeping great willow, Salix caprea 'Pendula'

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Variety or Cultivar

'Kilmarnock' is a compact, dense, deciduous tree with pendent branches bearing ovate, dark-green leaves, grey-green beneath, and, in spring before the leaves emerge, large, grey catkins with yellow anthers.

Season of interest

Flower
	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Flower
Foliage
	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Foliage

Height and spread

Metric |
Imperial

Height and spread Metric \| Imperial
Size	Max height	Max spread	To maturity
2.5 m	2.5 m	10-20 years
8 ft	8 ft	10-20 years

Height and spread

Metric |
Imperial

Size

Max height

Max spread

To maturity

2.5 m

10-20 years

8 ft

10-20 years

Where to grow

Soil

Soil type

Clay
Loamy
Sandy

Soil drainage

Moist but well-drained
Well-drained

Soil pH

Acid
Alkaline
Neutral

Conditions

Sunlight

Full Sun

Aspect

East
West
South
North

Exposure

Exposed
Sheltered

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Plant details

Additional plant details

Cultivation

Plant in deep, moderately fertile soil in full sun.

Suggested uses

City, Low Maintenance

UK hardiness

USDA zones

Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8

Sunset zone

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 2, 3

WUCOLS

North-Central Coastal = High
Central Valley = High
South Coastal = High
South Inland = High
High and Intermediate Desert = High
Low Desert = Unknown

Foliage

Deciduous

Habit

Compact, Small weeping

Native to

Garden origin

Drought tolerant

Flood tolerant

Yes

Toxicity

Not toxic

Other plants

Plants in this Genus (79)

Salix

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Salix 'Boydii' Willow 'Boydii'

Salix helvetica Swiss willow

Salix 'Mark Postill' Willow 'Mark Postill'

Salix alba White willow

Salix cinerea Common sallow

Salix purpurea 'Nana' Purple willow 'Nana'

Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys' Black willow

Salix elaeagnos subsp. angustifolia Narrow-leaved olive willow

Salix lapponum Downy willow

Salix caprea Goat willow

Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock' Kilmarnock willow

Salix purpurea Purple willow

Salix babylonica var. pekinensis 'Tortuosa' Corkscrew willow

Salix integra 'Flamingo' Dappled willow 'Flamingo'

Salix alba 'Dart's Snake' Contorted willow 'Dart's Snake'

Salix x sepulcralis 'Erythroflexuosa' Willow 'Erythroflexuosa'

Salix x sepulcralis 'Chrysocoma' Golden weeping willow

Salix babylonica Weeping willow

Salix hastata Halberd-leaved willow

Salix hastata 'Wehrhahnii' Wehrhahnii willow

Salix exigua Coyote willow

Salix lanata Woolly willow

Salix alba var. vitellina 'Britzensis' Coral bark willow

Salix integra 'Hakuro-nishiki' Flamingo willow

Salix alba 'Golden Ness' Golden willow 'Golden Ness'

Companion plants (3)

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Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus 'Bagpuize Virginia' Snowdrop 'Bagpuize Virginia'

Galanthus 'Bertram Anderson' Snowdrop 'Bertram Anderson'

Galanthus nivalis Common snowdrop

Related content

Discuss this plant

Re: Kilmarnock willow

Angie Robertson

1155 0

Not a good subject for a container, they really do need to be in the ground. These are extremely thirst plants and will be distressed. They are shallow rooted and spread their roots out well beyond the width of the canopy.
It's probably not what you want to hear but it would be easier to find another subject to grow in your containers.

Posted: Tuesday 6th of August 2013 08:52 PM

Re: Kilmarnock willow

Carol

1155 0

How much are you watering them? Willows are very thirsty creatures and I can't imagine how big a planter would be big enough! (even for a dwarf Kilmarnock). They sound distressed.

Posted: Saturday 3rd of August 2013 11:59 AM

Kilmarnock willow

Shoot User

1155 2

Hi back in April I bought 3 Kilmarnock dwarf willows and planted them in large planters. All was fine until about a month ago, the bottom leaves started to curl and change colour. As some were trailing the ground I cut them back , now the leaves are turning yellow and dropping. Are the trees distressed, should this be happening around now . Not sure what to do, as I would not like to loose them . Should I replant into larger planters as I want them in planters not the ground. Help please, ta

Posted: Saturday 3rd of August 2013 10:44 AM Last reply: Friday 21st of March 2025 07:00 PM

Re: Re: Do I need to prune my tree??

Shoot User

933 0

Apologies for not posting a pic, my phone camera wasn't much good. Anyway, I took some advice on pruning from my local nursery in that they said cut away any branches that are really dark or almost grey (dead looking, in other words), basically aren't a deep mahogany, so pretty much the same as a lot of plants, and I'm pleased to say that even after such a short time it's gone nuts and started sprouting leaves and buds all over the place. :0)

Thought I'd be expecting a year of nothing before some life, but it's all turned out well.

Posted: Monday 22nd of April 2013 09:49 PM

Re: Do I need to prune my tree??

Angie Robertson

933 1

Is it possible for you to put on a picture?

Generally, any shoots coming from below the graft will be from the root stock and should be removed.

The only time I would consider pruning my Kilmarnock Willow would be if/when the growth gets really untidy and reaches across the ground. Salix are very thirsty plants and will need watering in well for the first year. Roots are usually very near the surface. If you are able can you put in some sort of support which will help with wind rock until it become established.
I moved one last year - in full leaf that had been in the ground for just 2 years - I was religious about watering and it has recovered and is now just putting out it's catkins.

Posted: Monday 4th of March 2013 05:04 PM

Do I need to prune my tree??

Shoot User

933 1

I just gotten & planted what to all intents & purposes appears to be a form of 4ft dwarf willow, more than likely a Kilmarnock, but as it has many, many shoots flowing down from the top (the top graft looks particularly hefty and well taken judging by the examples of newer ones in B&Q), do I need to prune back some to allow other new ones to grow or existing ones to flourish more? If so, how do I tell exactly which ones to chop and how many?

Also, at about one foot square, the rootball seemed particularly small considering the huge spread on top. The owner said she'd been told the previous house owners had only planted a year ago but had a good spread of foliage last summer. I know Kilmarnocks don't traditionally have a 'normal' vast root system as they are grafted, but is there anything I should be concerned by?

Many thanks,
Matt

(I will try to get a picture up when it's daylight.)

Posted: Thursday 28th of February 2013 07:50 PM Last reply: Tuesday 11th of March 2025 06:06 AM