Look out for rare creeping willow

Imentioned last week about a scarce moth which was attracted into my garden moth trap – the gypsy moth – and one of the food plants of this moth is called creeping willow. Creeping willow is found in Kent, but it tends to favour sandy and shingle areas and so Dungeness is a stronghold, as are a few wet sandy areas up to New Romney and around the Sandwich area of East Kent. The willow is low growing and reaches no higher than about waist height on a good plant/ shrub. The oval-shaped leaves are small and dark green and just like all other willows it has a beautiful yellow spring blossom of catkins which are very attractive to bumble bees and other insects. This species of creeping willow is on the Rare Plant Register in Kent and they tend to grow in small pockets and are vulnerable to disappearing due to changes in land management or water level changes.

For more information contact Owen Leyshon, Romney Marsh Countryside Partnership, telephone 01797 367934 or log on to www.rmcp.co.uk

Creeping willows favour sandy and shingle areas