My cheap SUV. Black pussy willow

Eckhoffw

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Salix gracilistyla ‘melanostachys’
Has anyone worked on one of these before?

the chubby base on this plant got me, as well as the nice spread of trunks and branches.
For 20$ It seamed like a good value too!

But I really have no idea! Just started researching more on this type of willow.

I’ve chopped a couple big trunk/branches to slow enlargement in areas- as I do understand these to be fast growers. CE37FD55-8C20-46CC-BC24-59A8A9828529.jpeg
Should anything be done further to this plant as of now? Or when would be the best time to prune back?19EDC057-0B9C-4DD3-9C8A-EF547CF7989A.jpegABB9DBEF-49FB-4C39-8825-F1EFB60423A7.jpeg81514C5E-212D-438A-9AE7-7B1D1BFBDE78.jpeg
Thank you!
 

HorseloverFat

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Definitely a good deal. I really enjoy this tree’s chsracteristics! ...I also have never had the pleasure of “spending time” with one. Not trying to interfere with the process or interject ideas. Just saying, “Nice tree!”
FD2B9A98-B054-42FC-AF3B-97DD17C16705.jpeg
;)
 

_#1_

Omono
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Are you planning to keep most of the branches? I have a French Pink, or something like that. The flowers are the same type but just a regular yellow color.

Mine's just a couple bucks and I'm trying to create an old gnarly beat up image. I didn't apply any cut paste or glue to any of the cuts to see how far the rot will go. Who knows, maybe it'll go all the way to ground level. The bottom 2 cuts are from this year. And the tops need to be cleaned out more. I found these trees are super robust.

Wood on these rot real easy. I would chop any branch(s) you don't want ASAP and seal them. That is if you want the wound to heal over.
20200426_141302.jpg
 

Eckhoffw

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Are you planning to keep most of the branches? I have a French Pink, or something like that. The flowers are the same type but just a regular yellow color.

Mine's just a couple bucks and I'm trying to create an old gnarly beat up image. I didn't apply any cut paste or glue to any of the cuts to see how far the rot will go. Who knows, maybe it'll go all the way to ground level. The bottom 2 cuts are from this year. And the tops need to be cleaned out more. I found these trees are super robust.

Wood on these rot real easy. I would chop any branch(s) you don't want ASAP and seal them. That is if you want the wound to heal over.
Thanks for the tips! Good to know. I’ve been using the cut paste liberally.
I’m not completely set on the route I wanna go with this, but I believe I will be removing just one or two more branches and allow a umbrella type canopy. Then perhaps try out hedge pruning it back to a smaller silhouette.
 

Eckhoffw

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OK this thing is actually starting to creep me out.
just work this thing out of the ground and....I don’t know.
2171B7C3-2A5A-4D14-A28E-2F5849442788.jpeg
Looking at this plant, and getting a very alien insect vibe. 😐AD5E26BB-ED21-4B7F-94C8-50FAD90AB00C.jpegDD4FB087-0769-4B3C-AD4F-B283CF1FC53E.jpeg6563C459-7B32-455B-94F6-150B5D72B567.jpegDE1684C4-E3A1-4076-991D-1727F627CE89.jpegA1E0BF70-103A-40E8-A3D1-BF490E205015.jpeg
Catkins just popped today as well. 31CE8745-36BF-4D17-B256-18C2DE991C63.jpeg55443C72-4E77-4AB7-93A6-AE37901D667C.jpeg
No clue what to do with this monster.
FFD60DE7-95BA-4E00-B655-7E8BF64AA40A.jpeg
Help.
 

Eckhoffw

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Update.
Just shape Pruning for some ramification. A couple of guy wires to pull down.
japanese beetles have been all over this thing. Spraying with soapy water seems to help. 😁
5DF60CD4-2660-404C-87C8-68F31C606847.jpeg
Pulled the apex down a bit.
8778136E-1779-494C-9342-0DA3A74ABB1B.jpeg
Branches thicken up quick, so I think I need to stay on top of this.
Side view. 6AD44584-719C-4DAA-BD91-A3F47A57FFBC.jpeg
 

Kullas

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The flowers or cat tails only comes on last years growth. I put one in the ground 6 years ago and its almost to big to dig up. But when I planted it I put a bucket lid under it the base is about half of the bucket lid. They are vigorous growers.
Yours is looking nice.
 

Eckhoffw

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The flowers or cat tails only comes on last years growth. I put one in the ground 6 years ago and its almost to big to dig up. But when I planted it I put a bucket lid under it the base is about half of the bucket lid. They are vigorous growers.
Yours is looking nice.
Ahah! That makes sense! Thank you!
Do you plan to dig yours up, or just leave it in the ground at this point?
 

Kullas

Shohin
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Ahah! That makes sense! Thank you!
Do you plan to dig yours up, or just leave it in the ground at this point?
I may dig it up. I cut it back this spring to about 4 foot tall to get it back under control. If I dig it up it would be a larg clump style for sure. I get home I snap a pic of it
 

MMJNICE

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The flowers or cat tails only comes on last years growth. I put one in the ground 6 years ago and its almost to big to dig up. But when I planted it I put a bucket lid under it the base is about half of the bucket lid. They are vigorous growers.
Yours is looking nice.
So I bought a black willow and I have been somewhat Selectively taking off branches and this thing is really hard to get ahold of.. the time frame of grow is too fast for me to make informed decisions. But this post has helped a lot thanks!!
 

Kullas

Shohin
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So I bought a black willow and I have been somewhat Selectively taking off branches and this thing is really hard to get ahold of.. the time frame of grow is too fast for me to make informed decisions. But this post has helped a lot thanks!!
They are very fast growers and you can easily get behind in trimming. But that could be a good thing. You get your bonsai feel for the day and another tree is spared the shears :)
 

Kullas

Shohin
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I will be cutting mine way back again this year. I may dig it in the spring. It will be massive. Wife mentioned its blocking her roses.
 

Eckhoffw

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They are very fast growers and you can easily get behind in trimming. But that could be a good thing. You get your bonsai feel for the day and another tree is spared the shears :)
The fast growth is definitely a challenge. Creating taper within the branches is tough.
Your absolutely right though. It’s a nice plant to get your pruning fix.
 

MMJNICE

Mame
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The fast growth is definitely a challenge. Creating taper within the branches is tough.
Your absolutely right though. It’s a nice plant to get your pruning fix.
Do you have a couple of new photos of the willow bonsai? My plan originally was to plant it in my yard this spring but I got nervous about putting it close to my foundation because the roots Could find their way into my drain pipes water main gutter systems.. I recently went a little to hard updating my landscaping into a Japanese style garden and ran outa room and the only place to put it was next to my house. So guess who has a new bonsai 😁👹 the trunk is already ridiculously fat for its size and I'm itching to see the root base!! I'm thinking of re-potting it out its nursery pot like in a couple of days because the way this thing grows I bet it wouldn't miss a beat.. I know really wrong time for that but I get impatient.. I re-potting an cotoneaster a week ago and collected a small Catalpa tree 2 weeks ago and planted them with the roots rapped in a little spigittum moss along with really good soil and besides the Catalpa tree drooping and dropping all its leaves they are both doing amazingly right now. This thing can take the beating but am a little worried about the root pruning because of the rotting problems you talked about.. although I've taken rather large chunks of branches off and haven't noticed any signs of rotting at all.. they where taken from the fat trunk too.. anyway if I'll post a picture if you like when I get outside today and evaluate said black willow.
 

Eckhoffw

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Do you have a couple of new photos of the willow bonsai? My plan originally was to plant it in my yard this spring but I got nervous about putting it close to my foundation because the roots Could find their way into my drain pipes water main gutter systems.. I recently went a little to hard updating my landscaping into a Japanese style garden and ran outa room and the only place to put it was next to my house. So guess who has a new bonsai 😁👹 the trunk is already ridiculously fat for its size and I'm itching to see the root base!! I'm thinking of re-potting it out its nursery pot like in a couple of days because the way this thing grows I bet it wouldn't miss a beat.. I know really wrong time for that but I get impatient.. I re-potting an cotoneaster a week ago and collected a small Catalpa tree 2 weeks ago and planted them with the roots rapped in a little spigittum moss along with really good soil and besides the Catalpa tree drooping and dropping all its leaves they are both doing amazingly right now. This thing can take the beating but am a little worried about the root pruning because of the rotting problems you talked about.. although I've taken rather large chunks of branches off and haven't noticed any signs of rotting at all.. they where taken from the fat trunk too.. anyway if I'll post a picture if you like when I get outside today and evaluate said black willow.
I’ll see if I can remember to snap some photos throw evening.
So far I haven’t experienced any rot problems with mine.
I think that was @Microscopic with the rot going on.
 
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