Black Pussy Willow, Melanostachy's

[catfish chapstick]

I really want to like willows. I don't seem to have any problem growing them. This one I picked up because I liked the trunk form.

I cut lots of roots and lots of branches. stuffed it into this bonsai pot with mostly pumice. A full year later and its chugging along.

not sure where I'm going with it but it takes well to pruning and wiring. Any ideas?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Fertilize the heck out of it, and defoliate it several times each summer. They are really strong trees and they will tend to throw rough leggy growth if you don't develop ramification and keep the tree from running away on you. If you defoliate (without pruning) you should still have flower blooms for next spring.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Just to be clear, when I say "defoliate" I mean cut off the leaves at the stems. Do not pluck them or pull them off with your fingers.

 

[catfish chapstick]

Just to be clear, when I say "defoliate" I mean cut off the leaves at the stems. Do not pluck them or pull them off with your fingers.

I pruned a lot in the summer and did some leaf cutting as an experimen. This plant seems to respond more if I do let it run. I will defoliate the way you describe next year. I'm still getting to know this plant. there are a lot of cuts to heal and even some larger die-back on the trunk from the largest branches that were removed. If the tree doesn't heal over quickly it may become a hollow, tubular, swiss cheese-looking, monstrosity. I'm also sensing that the apex is weak and the tree is not even epically dominant to begin with. Sill, I enjoy the leaf size and quickness of growth so I will keep trying with it. I have lately considered dropping it in the ground for a few years...