Salix Iceberg Alley® Sageleaf Willow

A First Editions® variety, Salix Iceberg Alley® is a native perennial shrub with multi-season interest, blooming late spring to early summer. Poised to become a classic, this relatively small shrub goes with anything and goes just about anywhere, from small urban gardens to large foundation plantings. Grown primarily for its "powdery" silver foliage, Iceberg Alley adds a soft, bright effect to the garden and is the perfect plant to create stunning contrasts of color and texture. Iceberg Alley blooms in pretty silver catkins with red stamens that make lovely cuts for floral arrangements. Nectar rich, the catkins sustain honeybees, bumblebees, and butterflies.

A Salix candida, commonly called sageleaf willow, Salix Iceberg Alley has an upright, rounded habit and a rapid growth rate, maturing to 6 feet tall and wide under optimal conditions in warm climates, somewhat smaller (as small as 3 feet) in cold regions. The shrub makes a gorgeous specimen or hedge and creates a dramatic backdrop in mixed beds. And it is especially well suited to a rain or moon garden.

Iceberg Alley is cold hardy, reliable, and very easy to grow, growing best in a sunny to partly shady location with well-draining soil. The plant grows naturally in swamps and bogs, so it tolerates moist soils. The shrub does not require pruning but bears it beautifully.

A native plant, discovered by the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador Botanical Garden, Salix Iceberg Alley is indigenous to North America. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.