- Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)
- Mature Height 4 - 6 Inches
- Mature Spread 5 - 6 Feet
- Growing Zones 4 - 7
Creeping Willow, Salix repens, is a moisture-loving, low-growing shrub that features showy silvery catkins that turn yellow along bare stems in early spring. The oval leaves are 1 1/2” long and grayish green on top with a silvery underside. The spring-blooming, fuzzy, gray catkins are male and feature bright yellow anthers offering eye-catching form, texture, and color in the landscape.
Grown in Hardiness Zones 4-7, this ground-hugging deciduous shrub reaches a height of 4-6 inches with up to a 6 ft spread. Creeping Willow is also popular in dried flower arrangements. This is an ideal selection for use as an architectural ground cover, is effective at controlling erosion and stabilizing soil on banks and slopes, and is well suited for weaving and cascading down a retaining wall. This low-maintenance shrub also provides valuable habitat for a variety of wildlife.
Creeping Willow Care
Creeping Willow produce the most catkins when they are planted in a full sun location, ideally with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Creeping Willow adapts to a variety of soil types but prefers moist and well-draining soil with a pH ranging from 6.5-7.3. Provide plenty of water, particularly when first establishing your new plant to get it off to a great start.
Be sure to apply a layer of organic mulch around the root zone to help retain moisture. Remove any dead or crossing branches on your Creeping Willow to increase air circulation and sunlight around all the branches, spurring bud development and flowering. Every few years, you can prune the plant hard, removing more than 1/3 of the branches to encourage new vigorous growth. Propagate Creeping Willow by taking both hard and softwood cuttings, dipping the cut end in rooting hormone, and then placing it in the already moistened soil approximately 2-3” deep.
Creeping Willow Spacing
When initially planting Creeping Willow, allow for this low and slower-growing shrub to reach its full mature width in each direction from the center of up to 5-6 ft. If planting en masse, space each plant closer than 5 feet, but be prepared to control its spread and prune to maintain the desired shape. Prune in early spring before new growth appears.
Creeping Willow Information
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 - 7 |
Plant Type: Bushes |
Light Exposure: Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight) |
Mature Height: 4 - 6 Inches |
Mature Spread: 5 - 6 Feet |
Spacing: 5 - 6 Feet |
Habit: Spreading |
Flower Color(s): Black |
Flower Description: Black Creams |
Bloom Period: April To May |
Foliage Type: Deciduous, Variegated |
Foliage Color(s): Green, Yellow |
Foliage Description: Gray |
Seasonal Interest: Spring Flowering |
Watering: Average |
Resists: Deer, Rabbit |
Tolerates: N/A |
Attracts: Butterflies |
Container Role: |
Uses: Borders, Containers |
Features: Attracts Pollinators, Foliage Interest, Low Maintenance |
Brand: |
Common Name: Creeping Willow |
Other Name(s): Creeping Willow |
Scientific Name: Salix repens - Creeping willow |
- SKU:
- 1231012519-pc
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.

Quart Pot
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts

2.5 Quart
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts

#1 Pot
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts

#2 Pot
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons

#3 Pot
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons

#5 Pot
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons

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Arrival Guarantee
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Pre-Ordered Plants
Pre-ordered plants are scheduled to ship in Spring 2025. We carefully plan our shipping dates based on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone to ensure optimal planting conditions upon arrival. Want it sooner/later? Reach out, and we'll try our best to accommodate.
Estimated Spring Shipping Schedule
Estimated ship week for pre-ordered plants will ship based on growing zones as shown below.
Growing Zone | Estimated Ship Week |
---|---|
Zone 10 | March 24th |
Zone 9 | March 31st |
Zone 8 | April 7th |
Zone 7 | April 14th |
Zone 6b | April 21st |
Zone 6a | April 28th |
Zone 5b | May 5th |
Zone 5a | May 12th |
Zone 4 | May 19th |
Zone 3 | May 26th |
Note: These are only estimated ship dates. Plants may ship out later depending on weather & growing conditions of the plant.
Note: Only plants indicated as pre-order will ship as shown above. All other plants and hard goods will ship as normal.
Plants Shipping Now
Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.