Located at 108 Holliday Dr, Whitby, Ontario L1P 1G5, Salix Nurseries Whitby is in the landscape gardener industry. Its top competitors include Core Precision Interlock Inc, Rockwest Hardscapes and Pools, DMS Landscaping Ltd, and Constrada Hardscapes LLC. Its customers include commercial, industrial, and residential property owners. Its services include high-end landscaping, landscape construction, soil supply, custom soil mixing, plant material supply, excavating, on-site contouring, and more. SALIX is a highly mechanized company capable of a ten-day turnaround, even during peak season. It has been in the industry for over 30 years. Contact us today for a quote!
Willows (Salix) are familiar and graceful trees that grace Salix Nurseries Whitby many yards and areas of wetter soil. The genus includes around 350 species, some of which are called sallows and others, including the familiar weeping willow Salix babylonica, are known as “willowy.” Willows feature long, slender leaves, erect branches that droop gracefully to form the classic silhouette, and flower catkins in the spring. They can be found growing throughout the United States and are suited to many climate zones.
The willow tree family, Salicaceae, is one of the most genetically diverse groups of plants. The group’s broad range of plant types makes it a powerful model for genetic and genomic research. Willows are also an important part of many landscapes, as they provide food and shelter for wildlife and serve as streamside erosion control.
A wide variety of cultivars are available. For example, the willow hybrid ‘Tortuosa’ is a fast-growing willow with an erect growth habit. It is easy to maintain, reaches maturity in about three to five years and has a spread of 20 to 30 feet at full height. The plant is tolerant of deer and other challenges such as drought, pollution and salt.
In the garden, the willow tree family’s unique branch structure lends itself to many uses, including creating screening and borders, edging gardens and showcasing ornamental grasses. Several species are also well-suited for planting along roadsides and in wet areas.
Willows are highly cross-compatible, and a number of hybrids occur naturally and in cultivation. For example, the popular weeping willow is a hybrid of Peking willow Salix matsudana from China and European white willow Salix alba from Europe. Willows are also renowned for their herbal use. Willow bark was used by the Sumerians and Egyptians for its analgesic and antiperiodic properties, and the natural compound salicin, which is a precursor to aspirin, was discovered in 1828.
For those looking for an alternative to the weeping willow, Nature Hills Nursery carries two other weeping willow-like species that offer similar forms and are also hardy in USDA Zones 3-9. Pussy willow Salix ottofolia is native to the mountains of central Europe and can add color and texture to small spaces, troughs and containers. Another option is the dwarf pussy willow, Salix amygdaloides. A native of several parts of the United States, it provides an attractive accent for landscaping in areas that cannot accommodate a weeping willow, and is tolerant of cold temperatures.