skip to main content

What's wrong with my dwarf weeping willow?

16 years ago

I planted this dwarf weeping willow (salix caprea 'Pendula') in May. So far it looks exactly the same as when planted. The weeping branches have grown a couple of inches, maybe. Should it be sprouting leaves by now? I don't really know anything about these trees, but I expected the little buds to do something by now! The main stem keeps sprouting, and I keep cutting them off. Is this the right thing to do? It is in full sun most of the day and gets lots of water, both from the sprinkler in the picture and dripline. Any advice is appreciated.

{{gwi:390025}}

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

botann
16 years ago
It's dead. The sprouts on the trunk are below the graft and will not weep.
If you get another one, plant it further from the fence to give it more room. Weepers of all kinds are routinely planted too close to something. Even dwarfs grow.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
it looks like it was grafted where the green trunk changes to the brown weeping part ...

that means what is sprouting below is not a weeping variety... in most cases ... otherwise.. why graft up top ...

first.. do a scratch test down near the sprouts.. between the wood and the bark you will see a green layer.. this is the cambian layer .... lets say the blood vessels of the tree ... water goes up.. food goes down ... then take one of the weeping branches.. and do a small scratch test... if no green.. its dead .... if there is green.. there is a small chance it will recover .. frankly .. and i am sure you don't want to here it.. the odds are low ...

if you got it from bigboxstore... find the receipt and return it .. and get a replacement in fall .. i personally wouldn't buy stock that has been on the blacktop since may ... but most stores bring in fresh stock in the fall ...

being on both the sprinkler and a drip line.. perhaps you drowned the thing... willow generally like water.. but the roots do need air ... any chance this is all complicated by clay soil??? did you amend the planting hole???

ken
Related Discussions
can you tell me what is growing around my weeping willow?
Q
Comments (12)
helenh: no the leaves on the trees will not be shady enough to kill it. i just googled creeping charley and it says it thrives in shady spots anyway. paula in pa...you got it, i think it IS creeping charly. about the roundup...will that kill the grass? And does anyone know why it would grow around the tree other than because of the shade? I assumed it was soemthing falling from the willow and causing the weeds to grow...but i didnt' see anything about it being caused by a willow, so is that all just a coincidence that it is all around this willow tree?
...See More
Weeping Birch or Weeping Willow
Q
Comments (2)
I have a Betula .... pendula on the front lawn, 30+ feet high, and LOVE it! I call it the witch tree, because in winter you can see the curvy branches growing from the top (until they start weeping) and in summer, it's like those Xmas tree pix where the tree's wearing a ball gown, spread out wide on the ground, going up in layers of skirts, waving in the wind (like a wave at a ball game) and watching all the birds who hide in it, and my cats who hide underneath. Weeping willows need HUGE areas to grow in and will destroy anything for miles around, especially if there's water there, so forget that!
...See More
What's wrong with my weeping willow?
Q
Comments (5)
Whatever caused it (sun scald, frost crack, mechanical damage), it looks to me like there is callus tissue forming, which means that it is beginning to heal. From the size of the wound, it may take more than one season. I would remove the loose bark, which will clear out the ants and the earwigs and allow you to see it healing better. Don't put any paint or anything on it - just let it heal itself.
...See More
Help, what is wrong with my weeping cherry trees
Q
Comments (1)
those specks are poop... find the bandit ... [i think thats a mixed metaphor.. lol] she will be near on the color of the leaf ... and you should be able to find it... ken
...See More
beth_in_bend
Original Author
16 years ago
I'm afraid it's dead. I did the scratch test and there's no green on top. Bummer. But that was my only loss in my first season of gardening, so I guess it's not too bad. Now if I can only find my receipt. I bought it from a local nursery, not a bigboxstore, and I'll try again in the fall. Thanks for your help.
pineresin
16 years ago
A blessing in disguise . . . this plant never looks good after a few years, with a dense mophead of dead and diseased shoots needing constant attention to be pruned out. The pruned stubs also always die back a bit to leave ugly dead ends. The branches that do grow, head straight down until they hit the ground (often in a year or less), and then create an untidy mess of bent branches there, ideal for sheltering weeds. The leaves are drab, and subject to numerous disfiguring pests and diseases. I've always thought it one of the least attractive plants to try growing. Very easy to find something better for the replacement.

Resin

Related Stories

LANDSCAPE DESIGN The Weepers and the Creepers: 10 Intriguing Trees for Your Garden

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Bring something a little different to your landscape with a tree that dives, twists or crawls

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Chamaecyparis Pisifera ‘Curly Tops’

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Curly Tops sawara cypress brings great color, texture and shape to the garden — and its size is easily manageable

LANDSCAPE DESIGN The 7 Best Plant Types for Creating Privacy and How to Use Them

By Falon Mihalic

Follow these tips for using different kinds of plants as living privacy screens

GARDENING GUIDES How to Avoid Overcrowded, Overpruned Shrubs

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Go for a more natural look that’s easier and less expensive to maintain by giving your plants the right amount of growing room

TREES 11 Japanese Maples for Breathtaking Color and Form

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

With such a wide range to choose from, there’s a beautiful Japanese maple to suit almost any setting

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Ditch the Ordinary Ditch: Create a Realistic Dry Creek Bed

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Here’s how to turn your water runoff system into an eye-catching accent for your landscape

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Grow a Lush Privacy Screen

By Christine Tusher

No need to wait forever for patio privacy the green way. These 10 ideas will get your screening up and running in no time

LANDSCAPE DESIGN For Garden Drama, Consider the Lowly Boulder

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

A boulder can be a thing of beauty in the landscape. Here are 10 ways to display them to full effect

PLANTING IDEAS Designing With Conifers: Exploring Color

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Colorful, structural and adaptable, conifers are waiting to transform your garden

GARDENING GUIDES 12 Japanese Maples for a Sunny Garden

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

The right maple in the right place shines in hot summer sun

Sponsored

More Discussions

Bursera Fagaroides?

4

Weeping White Spruce Growth

15

Japanese Maple for sun/shady deck

2

Paw paw seedlings or cuttings

7

Sassafras Foliar Peculiarity

0