Scarlet Curls corkscrew willow
Light: full sun
Height: 25 feet
Spread: 20 feet
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-8
Origin: hybrid
An interesting plant in both look and texture is the Scarlet Curls corkscrew willow (Salix x ‘Scarcuzam’). This willow can grow as a tree, with one or multiple trunks, or as a multistemmed shrub. All parts of this plant have a twisting form that gives this plant its corkscrew name.
The green leaves are lance-shaped and also have a twist to them. Much of the bark is a golden-yellow in color, with small young branches that have a red tint. The bark color intensifies as the temperatures drop, and creates an exquisite color display during the gray Ohio winters.
This willow can be pruned in various ways to maintain a desired form, whether it is pollard (removing the upper branches to create a dense canopy) or coppied (hard-pruned to the base to keep it compact).
See the scarlet curls corkscrew willow growing happily in the Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation Children’s Garden at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
— Barbara Arnold Franklin Park Conservatory