Friday, March 6, 2009

Salix chaenomeloides....huge catkins follow beautiful large glossy buds

When I first saw this plant in the winter of 1992, I assumed that someday it would be a standard commodity in the florists business for winter holidays. The terminal shoots are loaded with huge glossy red buds that are ornamental enough in their own right before opening into these silky little mice. And all you need to produce it in quantity is a wet area. I don't know what happened! I guess it just didn't affect other people the way it did me. It's still nice though, and it has entered the trade as a woody ornamental. This plant grows along the Anacostia River below China Valley.

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