Clinging Willow

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for around 28 years. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has many stocky, angular stems covered in thick, silky, light brown bark, and the wood inside is pale yellow.

The branches are short, rigid and upright with hundreds of twigs that and are covered with large amounts of giant, circular, leaves with wavy edges. The leaves themselves are black at the bottom and dark brown with pink patches at the top, resilient and fuzzy.

It produces lots of tiny, olive flowers with sickle shaped petals. They detach easily and have a fairly strong scent that smells like a man. In mid-autumn it forms medium-sizedblack, tough-shelled seeds.