Salix integra Hakuro-nishiki is an accepted deciduous willow cultivar introduced from Japan in 1979 by Dutch botanist Harry van de Laar. It forms a rounded, multistemmed shrub with fine branches that arch and droop slightly at their tips. University and botanical-garden records commonly place its manageable landscape size around 1.2-2.5 m high and 1.5-2.5 m wide, although older or minimally pruned plants can become larger.
Narrow lance-shaped leaves emerge Pink in spring, then mature through Cream-White-Green variegation and become predominantly Green as summer advances. Yellowish catkins appear on bare or newly leafing stems from March through May. Leaves can turn Yellow in autumn, while young stems develop Orange-Red tones and remain Red after leaf fall. Grow the shrub in full sun or partial shade in fertile, consistently moist but well-drained soil. Late-winter or early-spring pruning renews the most colorful young growth, while lighter pruning preserves its natural arching form.
