Topic: curly willows

[gordonsveg]

does anyone know the best growing conditions for those curly/twisted willow trees please??

[Deb P]

Are you sure they are willow and not Corkscrew Hazel? Willow prefers moist to damp conditions, hazel less so. I have a lovely corkscrew hazel in my back garden that a friend gave me in a large pot, as she said it was doing poorly and could I do something with it? Had a look in the pot....loads of vine weevil grubs! Painstakingly removed them and washed the roots, it is now about 8' tall in 10 years!

[saddad]

There is a contorted willow too...  :)

[ACE]

I have the willow and the hazel, both some times refered to as Harry lauders walking stick. I have found they do sort of grow anywhere. I also have a contorted purple leafed willow, unfortunately breeders rights stops me from propagating. These trees get uprooted and potted for garden shows, stuffed back in the ground  time and time again,( really big pots) but apart from not growing to their full size they seem alright. One willow that has not moved used for a few years is planted on a spot where there was a building a few years ago so it is well drained with building rubble and it has reached 15' high. I think they are as bombproof as their wild cousins.

[Palustris]

Oddly enough , both our Contorted willows have died on us this year. Midsummer, they lost their leaves and that was it. No idea why though.

[tonybloke]

We have a twisted willow, (tortuosa) in the back garden, free-draining site, it's about 22 ft high at the moment. We have a waterbut which collects all the water off of the back half of the house roof, and the grey water from the shower /sink. This has a hose attached which empties the tub to water the willow. (our subsoil is sand/gravel) ;)

[gordonsveg]

Yes DebP they are corkscrew hazels,thanks