martie, they look particularly distinctive backed by or surrounded by a green backdrop- to show off their variegation.
best, mindy

I've always loved this shrub. But when I finally got one, I got it in tree form. I adore it. I have it in a large pot on my patio. The poor thing got knocked over TWICE in the big storms we had lately, and lost a few branches. I've got to pot it up in a larger pot and I keep putting it off because I'm afraid, lol!

I do have to say after this post, Martie, I've been giving it more water than I had been previously.

:)
Dee

Dee, I've seen this shrub grown as a standard on garden tours and liked it vety much. Although I've been eyeing it for years I haven't taken the plunge, probably because I can't decide how to grow it in my own garden and because I've heard you have to prune it constantly to keep the lovely variegated foliage coming all season. Is that true?

Sue

I have this plant, not a standard, just as a shrub. I remove some of the oldest branches in late winter, but I believe you can cut the whole thing back, too.

When I moved, I moved this shrub too, to a place where I don't see it much and this spring it was about 6' tall when I went to prune it. It was still variegated with only a few green branches. It takes well to pruning and as with all willows it should be easy to root. Sue, I'll try to root some for the fall swap.

Hedy

I have wanted so much to try this plant, but have been afraid the deer would eat it in no time----Have the deer ever bothered yours?

Thanks, Molly

Anybody noticed browning on a white leaves if watered overhead?
Mine in a new location where is only overhead watering available and despite all those rains white leaves are brown like they are suffered from the heat, which as you all know is not the case. Yet.
When it was in a less sunny location, but watered down to the roots it never had pink leaves, but never had brown leaves either.
What gives?
Sue, I cut it to 2' every spring and perform another haircut to 3' when it reaches 5' in a middle of the summer. It's 5-6 footer again by the fall.
However, the pink-white-green variegation will be produced by the spring growth only. Mid-season cut will produce white-green variegation, not a sign of pink.
At least what it does for me.

While driving today I saw a hedge of these along the front of someone's house. It looked pretty nice, and was certainly different, but I can't say I liked the boxy look of it (it was pruned like a boxwood hedge, not left naturally). But perhaps it needs to be pruned to keep it in check? I don't know, as mine is in tree form and is actually still kind of small.

George, I haven't seen any browning, but I'm concerned for mine because there are areas along some stems which have no leaves at all. Whole stretches of 6 to 8 inches where there are no leaves. The overall foliage is actually rather sparse. I've really got to re-pot this poor thing. BTW, I believe mine has pink in it only in the spring, also.

Molly, sorry I can't answer your deer question - again, mine is in tree form so I don't have that problem anyway.

:)
Dee

George - I haven't had to water mine yet, but I suppose rain counts as overhead watering if the sun comes out right afterward???? Assuming that, no browning here but my plants are just babies and right now are in three inches of standing water and I would guess that would brown them out as well.

Saw the nursery guy where I bought these yesterday and he reminded me that the best way to prune these is from the base. "If you can prune Red Twig Dogwood, you can prune these." Otherwise, he suggests, leave them alone until very early spring before any new growth occurs. If the plant is too big for it's spot, move it as it simply hates shearing.

We'll see ....

Martie

Martie, " If the plant is too big for it's spot, move it as it simply hates shearing. "

That is exactly correct, mid-season shearing will weaken the plant, energy will be used to produce zillions of new thin branches that will be not able to sustain winter, will be dead by the spring and you'll be back to the square one in a next spring only with a much weaker plant.

Dee, " I'm concerned for mine because there are areas along some stems which have no leaves at all. Whole stretches of 6 to 8 inches where there are no leaves."

Nothing to be concerned, unless you want it to be a pom-pom on a stick. Let the branches/stems grow and thicken during the season. Next spring selectivly prune them pretty much the same way as you'd prune a rose grown as a standard and you'll have a nicely formed tree/shrub.
When you'll be in my place, remind me and I'll show you what I do/did, though I grow it as a shrub, but the same rules will apply to the tree form.

"If you can prune Red Twig Dogwood, you can prune these..."

"Next spring prune them pretty much the same way as you'd prune a rose grown as a standard..."

Ha! Easier said than done, lol! In my gardening world, "prune" is a four-letter-word! I am terrified of pruning - don't ask me why, I just am. I *did* prune my red twig dogwoods last year - whether I *can* or not waits to be seen, lol. This was the one plant I got up the gumption to prune because I was afraid that if I didn't, I wouldn't get the color. I pruned two of my four and then chickened out on the last two!

Not only have I never grown a rose standard, but I'm also terrified of pruning my roses. Since they are all so young, it hasn't been a major problem yet, but next year will be different, I'm afraid (and I do mean "afraid", lol!)

My willow is actually a nice weeping shape, not a pom-pom, and pruning to "fix" the problem of no foliage never entered my mind (surprise, surprise!). LOL!

:)
Dee

Dee, " I am terrified of pruning - don't ask me why, I just am. "

Hire me!
Will work for...your hosta undulata variegata as I could use more of it.

Seriously, I like to prune and I guess I know what, when and how in most cases.

George, do you really need Hosta undulata variegata? I've got quite a bit. Should I bring a clump to you next weekend? I'll trade you for some more rocks...lol.

Sue

Sue, yes, I need it.
Bring it/them. I still grow rocks, LOL.
There are many UNnamed strains of undulata variegata, some with larger leaves, some with smaller one, some with narrow white center, some with wide, and Dee's particular variance perfectly fits in my project: it's a small leaved and has a wide white center that would easily burn as soon as sun touches it.
If yours is different, I'll find it a good place anyway.
See you next w/end unless you are going to Huges-Sonnefroh garden in W.Redding. I've heard about this garden as being something extraordinary.

One more observation after more torrential rain:

After every rain the plants look more and more salmon colored. They are definitely not pink. Again, mine are in clay-bog conditions and I wonder:

Could the plants be sucking up the minerals in the clay and making them more colored? Adversely, could those in containers not show as much color because certain minerals are absent? (Logee's 101 remembrance.)

Or, could it be the copious amounts of water these have gotten since planted?

Hmmmmmmmm, perhaps we should go to the shrubs forum and see what they have to say?

Martie

I got one last year and potted it up in a large decorative container. It has done well, unphased by winter wind. It grows like crazy, and unless I prune back the branches regularly, it grows to a circumference that seems oversized for even the 20" pot it's in...

From what I've heard about this willow, for the best branch color the shrub should be severly pruned or coppiced in the fall after the frost, as it's the new sprouts that have the most intense color.

I didn't do that last fall, so the pinkish branches are not as abundant as when I bought it. Does anyone know whether it would be okay to prune now, or should I wait? If it won't encourage new growth, I'll just do a simple trim to keep the existing branches within bounds, and coppice in November.

Ego45,
I haven't had a problem with leaves browning from overhead watering, but that may be because I tend to water early before the sun is intense. I'm guessing that the leaves are delicate enough that they will "cook" from prism-like droplets of water intensifying the sunlight through them.