I didn't know where to put this so if there is a better place please let me know. Ok, I got a 'verigated willow tree' from ShopRite a couple of weeks ago. Repotted it and it is doing great. But I don't know if I will need to take it in this winter or even what type of willow it is. I know that it is, I can't remember the word right now. The top part, and the truck are two different plants.(like they do with some cactuses) That's really bugging me, I can't remember the word!!! Anyway, the tree is no more than 18" tall, the leaves are green, cream and edged in pink(some are edged). Any info anyone can give me would be great. Thanks alot, Anna
I think the word you wanted is Grafted. Check out Salix integra Flamingo. This may be your plant. http://images.google.com/images?hl=...3&q=salix+integra+flamingo&btnG=Search+images
Or perhaps Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki'? Whatever it is, it should be safely winter-hardy in Pennsylvania. They do like plenty of moisture in the soil, and they develop the most vivid colors in full sunlight (at least here in Maine). Many people prune these back hard -- sometimes all the way back to a foot or two from the ground -- in order to encourage the production of vigorous new spring shoots, which tend to have more vivid coloring. This makes the plant take on a full, bushy shape, more like a shrub than a tree.
Thank you both. Yes, grafted is the simple word that slipped my mind. It does look like Salix integra Flamingo. Being that it is grafted will it get as big as other willows? I have had HUGE weeping willows and good sized regular (un-weeping?) willows. Thanks alot. Do you think it will be ok to keep it in a pot? I really cant put it in the ground where I am right now, but I have a huge round bin(with drainage holes) for it when it get bigger. The bin is about 3ft tall and 2-2 1/2 ft diamiter. Will this work for it? Thank you both so much,
Be very careful before you cut it back. The graft will probably be at the top of the bare trunk. If you cut lower than this you will end up with a rampant wild/plain green willow! Variegated plants do not have so much chlorophyll so are never as vigorous as plain green plants.
I can see the graft, it is only acouple of inches at the top. And the top of the plant has wax where it looks like it was cut on top. Like they made one cut on the bottom and one cut on the top, I guess to get many plants out of one.
I found my camera charger and got my computer up and running so I can post pics of my willow. They are not the best, I am going to try to get better pics. I have a set of macro lenses coming soon.
It is difficult to be sure from your pics.... but am I seeing shoots that have plain green leaves all the way up? If so, these are not the top grafted variegated willow, but rather vigorous shoots coming from below the graft. The plain green shoots will grow more vigorously than the variegated branches, until they swamp out the other shoots. You must cut these right back to the trunk when ever you see them. Hope this helps.
The branches have both verigated and green leaves. The verigated is closer to the base of the plant and then about 1/2 - 1/3 of the end of each branch is green. There are no branches that are just green or verigated they are all mixed.
You should not have any plain green leaves. I think that this site will help you. It is about Salix integra Hakuro Nishiki, but applies to any Dappled willow. It has many useful tips and good advice. http://www.midwestgardentips.com/hakuro-nishiki_dappled_willow.html See also.. http://www.daytonnursery.com/Encyclopedia/Trees_Shrubs/Salix.htm
Thanks for the links, I just glanced at them but will really look through them later. I got the plant from Shop-Rite so I am not expecting it to be a top quailty specimen.
