SALIX REPENS SSP. ARENARIA (L.) HILTONEN 'BÖSCHUNGSPRINZESSIN' - A NEW CREEPING WILLOW CULTIVAR WITH A GOOD DROUGHT STRESS TOLERANCE

Salix repens ssp. arenaria ‘Böschungsprinzessin’ is a clone found on grey dunes at the German Baltic Sea coast. It is a prostrate creeping female plant with dense even foliation of oblong-ovate leaves with impenetrable sericeous hairs on the silver coloured abaxial leaf surface. The flower catkins are bright-green with reddish stigmata. The selected and propagated plants were not susceptible to pests. The cultivar shows a distinct formation from. adventitious roots which makes it very suitable for rapid colonisation and protection of slopes. Another interesting application is its use as an attractive ground-cover plant in urban areas. Drought stress tolerance of Salix repens ssp. arenaria ‘Böschungsprinzessin’ was tested by two drought stress treatments. Although growth of droughted plants was reduced, in general the number of shoots and several leaf morphological parameters were not negatively affected. Hence, Salix repens ssp. arenaria ‘Böschungsprinzessin’ is suitable for planting in drought-prone locations in natural and urban habitats.