Salix integra

Japanese willow is in the willow or Salicaceae family and is native to China, Japan and Korea. It grows up to 6 m tall.

The cultivar dappled willow (S. integra 'Hakuro-Nishiki') is commonly grown as an ornamental plant, with characteristics as follows:

• Leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, with new branches in the spring reaching out in all directions. Leaves emerge pink and mature to variegated shades of pink, creamy white and green, fading to green as the summer progresses. Leaves turn yellow before falling off in the fall.
• New stems are coral to red colour, while older branches are orange and green.
• Small, yellow catkins appear on the branches in spring.