Habitat

• native to Japan
• zone 4

Habit and Form

• a large deciduous, rounded shrub
• 10' to 15' tall and equal in width
• unruly and unkept appearance if not well-maintained
• fast growth rate
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• alternate leaf arrangement
• lanceolate, simple leaves
• 4" to 6" long
• serrated leaf margins
• dark green leaf color
• glabrous

Autumn Foliage

• not ornamentally important

Flowers

• male flowers showy

Fruit

• male clone no fruit development

Bark

• purplish red stem color
• flattened and fastciated stems
• buds are purplish red with one scale covering the bud
• wood is very weak

Culture

• fast growing
• easily transplanted form containers are B&B
• prefers moist soil
• prefers to grow along water sources
• full sun
• pH adaptable
• short lived

Landscape Use

• good tree for wet sites
• for unusually branching effect
• for medium texture
• for flowers

Liabilities

• numerous insect and disease problems
• suckers
• short-lived

ID Features

• flattened, fastciated stems
• purplish red stems
• alternate leaf arrangement
• serrated leaf margins
• generally found on wet sites
• flowers bottle-brush like

Propagation

• by cuttings
• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

None, as 'Sekka' is the only form of the species found in cultivation. Some authorities list this plant as Salix udensis 'Sekka'.