carper

Lisa Carper and Aric Vanselous have a willow for all of those purposes, and then some.

In early 2019, Carper was browsing online for plants that might work well at the couple’s former New Jersey property.

In the spring of 2020, Carper and Vanselous were invited to come help with the harvest — a sort of test drive.

Among the most sought-after willows for their twig color, Carper said, are the vivid red, yellow and orange cultivars from the species S. fragilis, including one called Britzensis — the exceptional coral bark willow that is a beacon in winter.

“If you have a nice burst of catkins just blooming at the same time, there’s truly a buzzing,” Carper said.