Trees
Salix 'Golden Curls'
Golden Curls willow
Also known as: Golden Curls · Salix 'Erythroflexuosa' · Salix × erythroflexuosa
Golden Curls is a willow with an especially animated winter outline. Young branches twist and curl in orange-yellow tones before aging to brown, while narrow, pale green leaves echo the contorted shape during summer. Yellow spring catkins add another seasonal detail. A sunny position with consistently moist or wet soil suits this ornamental tree.
At a glance
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- Height: 4–8 m over 10–20 years · Width: 2.5–4 m
- Water
- Moist to wet soil
- Hardiness
- RHS H5; UK rating, not a USDA zone
- Bloom
- Yellow catkins in spring
Sizes & prices
- #7$99.99
Catalog updated September 8, 2026. This is not a live stock count; please call to confirm availability and price.
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Landscape use & tree form
- Use
- Ornamental specimen
- Form
- Bushy, with pendulous contorted shoots
- Major issues
- Weak wood, cankers and vigorous roots are typical willow concerns; allow distance from drains and structures.
- Growth rate
- Fast
Resistance & tolerances
- Deer
- Willows can sustain substantial browsing; protect young plants.
- Drought
- Moisture-demanding; irrigate dry periods.
- Wet soil
- Tolerates wet and poorly drained soil
Resistance is not a guarantee; deer and rabbits may browse any plant.
Pollinators & wildlife
- Birds
- Attracted to this plant
Seasonal interest
- Foliage
- Narrow, twisted pale green leaves; deciduous
- Stems
- Twisted orange-yellow young shoots; brown older branches
Growing & care
- Pruning
- Prune in dormancy to manage crowded or damaged twisting branches; avoid indiscriminate topping.
Sources & photo credits
University of Minnesota Extension
Photo: F. D. Richards / Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0; resized for web without enlargement. · CC BY-SA 2.0
Image notes: Golden Curls willow. Photo: F. D. Richards / Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0; resized for web without enlargement.
Reviewed September 22, 2026. Growing conditions vary by location.