Flamingo Dappled Willow

Flamingo Dappled Willow is a deciduous shrub grown primarily for its vibrant, variegated foliage and colorful red stems. It’s an easy-to-grow garden accent that performs especially well in moisture-retentive sites.

• Botanical name: Salix integra ‘Flamingo’
• Plant type: Deciduous shrub
• Growth habit: Graceful, shrub form that responds well to shaping

The standout feature is its fantastic variegated foliage—pink, white, and bright apple green—creating a bright, high-contrast look in the landscape. New growth is especially colorful, and pruning helps refresh the display.

• Foliage color: Multicolored (pink, white, bright green)
• Best color: On fresh, new growth
• Weather performance: Foliage resists heat scorch and holds up to rain and wind

Shiny red stems add striking seasonal appeal and keep the plant visually interesting even when bare in the winter landscape.

• Stem color: Red
• Seasonal interest: Winter structure and color after leaf drop

This shrub quickly develops into a substantial presence but is easy to keep smaller with pruning.

• Mature size: 8–10 ft. tall and 8–10 ft. wide
• Growth rate: Moderate (noted as fast growing as a feature)
• Size control: Easily kept smaller with regular pruning

Plant in full sun to partial sun for best performance and strongest foliage color.

• Light: Full sun to partial sun

Flamingo Dappled Willow prefers consistently moist conditions. Keep soil moist to wet, especially during establishment and in hot weather.

• Water: Keep soil moist to wet
• First season: Water deeply and regularly to establish roots
• After establishment: Reduce frequency, but do not let soil dry out for long periods

This willow thrives in moist, enriched soils and is a great solution for areas that stay damp. Improve garden beds with compost or organic matter to enhance moisture-holding and vigor.

• Soil: Moist, enriched, and consistently damp
• Best sites: Low spots, rain gardens, near downspouts, and wet borders
• Tip: Mulch to help retain moisture around the root zone

Occasional pruning to shape encourages a flush of colorful new leaves. Because foliage is most vibrant on new growth, pruning once or twice during the growing season helps keep the display fresh and bright.

• When to prune: Once or twice during the growing season
• Why prune: Promotes colorful new foliage and maintains size
• Style options: Natural mound, clipped hedge, or kept compact as a specimen

In addition to colorful foliage, the plant produces showy catkins in spring that can linger through fall, adding subtle textural interest.

• Bloom feature: Showy catkins
• Bloom time: Spring; catkins may linger through fall
• Flower color: Brown

Use Flamingo Dappled Willow as a bold foliage accent, a colorful hedge, or a lively border anchor. It’s especially valuable in designs that need reliable color when flowering plants take a break.

• Landscape use: Border, hedge
• Design tip: Pair with solid green or deep-purple foliage plants to make the pink variegation pop
• Maintenance note: Clip or prune to keep tidy in smaller spaces

This plant is well-suited to very wet areas and can be used as a practical solution where soil stays damp. It is also noted for erosion control applications in appropriate landscapes.

• Great for: Very wet areas
• Problem solving: Erosion control

A dependable performer across a wide range of climates, this willow is deciduous and will drop leaves in winter, then push fresh, colorful growth in spring.

• Growing zones: 4–10
• Deciduous: Yes (seasonal leaf drop)

Combine with moisture-friendly shrubs and perennials for layered texture and extended seasonal interest.

• Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus)
• Clethra (Clethra)
• Dogwood (Cornus)
• Forsythia (Forsythia)
• Turtlehead (Chelone)

Easy to grow in moist, enriched soils. Feed in spring to support vigorous growth and strong foliage color, especially after pruning cycles.

• Fertilizer: Apply in spring
• Establishment: Deep, regular watering the first growing season
• Ongoing care: Maintain consistent moisture; prune to refresh foliage color

Useful identifiers for merchandising and plant records.

• Pronunciation: SAY-liks in-te-GRA
• SKU: 03949
• Propagation note: Asexual reproduction may be restricted under the Plant Patent Act during the life of the patent

This selection was discovered as a sport in the Netherlands and later introduced in North America after evaluation and exhibition in Europe.

• Discovery: Sport selection (Netherlands)
• Introduced: After trials and European exhibition