Salix capr. Kilmarnock

Salix caprea ‘Kilmarnock’ is a compact, deciduous, weeping selection of goat willow, prized for its neat umbrella of pendulous branches and abundant early catkins. In late winter to early spring, the male catkins open from silvery buds to soft yellow, providing valuable pollen for bees and other pollinators. Fully hardy in Ireland, it thrives in full sun or light shade and prefers moist, well-drained to damp soil, happily tolerating heavier clay. Its tidy, architectural form makes an eye-catching focal point for small gardens and structured plantings; light trimming after flowering helps maintain the weeping outline.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Full sun or light shade

Rate of Growth: Moderate

Soil: Moist, well-drained or damp soil; tolerates heavy clay

Hardiness: Fully hardy

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Plant at a Glance