Willow is one of the most common trees both in Russia and in other countries. The plant is unusually good-looking: a strong trunk, long hanging branches, leaves of all shades of green and flowers, like fluffy earrings, fascinate with their beauty and beckon to the world of nature and harmony. Many people grow willow in their gardens or near their homes.
The tree has been an inspiration for many writers, poets and artists for a long time. A. Fet, A. Akhmatova, S. Yesenin, F. Tyutchev and others wrote about him. The famous storyteller H.H. Andersen, who owns the fairy tale “Under the Willow,” did not stand aside. The painting “The Weeping Willow” by C. Monet is also known.
The tree is widely used in manufacturing, industry, agriculture and medicine.
image of Willow
Since ancient times, Willow ( Willow ) has been a sign of the arrival of spring.
Among the ancient Slavs, it was considered sacred and symbolized the constancy of life cycles. Among different peoples, Willow was a symbol of purity and immortality, beauty and sophistication, and at the same time was associated with sadness. In the myths of ancient Greece, Willow has always been associated with the world of the dead.
Among the Indians of South America, Willow symbolized friendship and hospitality. When guests arrived, the bark of this glorious tree was added to the peace pipe.
What is the difference between willow and willow?
In the spring, when buds are just beginning to appear on the trees, there is not a single leaf yet, the willow is the first to respond to the spring rays of the sun. She pleases everyone with her delicate, surprisingly soft and fluffy white buds. And the willow begins to bloom along with the rest of the plants. And unlike the willow, it has small yellowish-green buds.
They also differ in the color of their bark. In willow it is reddish-brown, and in willow it is grayish-green.
How to distinguish willow from willow in other ways? Willow has thin and flexible branches covered with elongated, sharp leaves. And the willow has stiff and thick branches with wide and semicircular leaves.
Their habitats are also different. Willow can grow almost anywhere, and willow can grow mainly near lakes, rivers, swamps, ditches, i.e. where there is water.
Willow names
The Latin name for Willow is Salix. From the Latin words sal - water, lix - close.
In Russia, Willow is known under the names Verba, Vine, Vetla.
Cognates of Willow are found in many languages. The word is quite ancient, so there are several theories about its origin.
One version of the origin is that the word comes from the verb vit. Indeed, in the old days, peasants made a huge amount of valuable things from Willow. And in our time, willow is an excellent raw material for wicker furniture.
According to another version, the word came from ancient languages and meant “reddish wood.”
Where does the willow grow?
There are about 550 species of Willow, and they are concentrated mainly in the northern hemisphere. Siberia, Northern China, northern Europe, northern America are places where you can find this tree.
Willow is widespread in central Russia.
The height of the tree can be up to 15 meters, but there are species larger than 35 meters with a trunk girth of more than half a meter.
Willow loves humidity very much , so this large spreading tree or its smaller species can often be found along the banks of rivers and lakes.
Green branches hang from the banks like garlands and gently touch the surface of the water.
Varieties and types of willow with photos
Numerous varieties of garden species have high decorative characteristics and can be used in any landscape style.
For example, some cultivars of shrub willow are valued for their bright shoots, similar in color and texture to turf, while other varieties are attractive for their interesting growth form or spectacular cat flowers.
Almost every garden species is represented by the “Pendula” form with weeping shoots. More recently, the plant has become an important source of bioenergy production and a representative of ecosystem gardening.
Whole-leaved willow (Salix integra) is a shrub, up to 2–6 meters high. One of the most famous varieties of this species is the variegated Japanese willow “Hakuro Nishiki”. The cultivar is a winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Willow "Hakuro Nishiki" is usually grown in the form of a miniature tree on a trunk 1.5 meters high. Its main decorative value is its colorful foliage.
Willow "Hakuro Nishiki" in landscape design
New spring leaves are colored white-cream, pale pink and light green and remain so for most of the season. Mature leaves gradually lose their pink tones.
The shoots are quite stiff, raised, and can have a red or orange-yellow tint, thanks to which the tree remains a bright accent in the garden throughout almost the entire year.
Mediterranean garden design
Growing Hakuro-Nishiki in containers is quite popular today. This is an interesting offer for those who are looking for spectacular and easy-to-care plants.
The variety of this type of willow "Flamingo" was obtained from "Hakuro Nishiki" and is characterized by a darker pink hue of foliage. The "Pendula Waterfall" form of this species is an elegant dwarf tree with drooping shoots and slightly curled leaves.
Weeping willow or Babylonian willow (Salix babylonica) is native to China. It was first described in the twenties of the last century in France. It is a medium to large tree with a graceful weeping form of numerous, slender shoots.
Weeping willow
Slender willow (Salix gracilistyla) . In gardening, its decorative varietal form “Mount Aso” is valued, also known as Japanese pink willow.
In spring, the thin shoots of the bush are covered with large pink-red catkins, after which beautiful bluish-gray leaves appear after flowering.
"Mount Aso"
Creeping willow (Salix repens) is widespread along the banks of reservoirs and rivers in Western and Northern Europe. This is a small shrub species, reaching 1-1.5 meters in height with small, bluish, slightly pubescent leaves.
In changing conditions, the species is able to change its growth form from vertical to creeping. In gardening, the variety “Argentea” is popular, which is often sold on a standard and “Nitida”.
"Argentea"
Matsudana willow (Salix matsudana) is a medium-sized, upright, fast-growing tree native to northeastern China and Korea. The species is named after the Japanese botanist Sadahisa Matsuda.
In gardening, you can find the most common cultivar - the twisting willow "Tortuosa" with outstanding decorative value throughout the year.
Twisty willow "Tortuosa"
The variety owes its popularity to its spirally curved and twisted leaves and shoots, forming a compact, round, graceful crown. This species is not entirely hardy, so choose a warm place protected from the wind to plant willow.
Purple willow (Salix Purpurea) is a deciduous shrub reaching 1-3 meters in height. The shoots are thin, shiny, reddish, while the leaves are quite wide, gray-green.
Catkin cats are often purple or red in color. Once rooted, it gives a structural effect comparable to the strength of a stone wall, which is why it is used to strengthen slopes.
Dwarf willow Nana
This species has low requirements for soil fertility and moisture, but thrives on moist substrates, including those that are periodically flooded.
Several varieties are common in horticulture, including the willow 'Pendula', which has drooping shoots and glaucous leaves and is recognized by the Royal Horticultural Society.
A compact, dwarf cultivar of the purple willow “Nana”, which is pruned almost completely every 4-5 years to maintain its decorative shape.
Brittle globular willow (Salix fragilis) . This tree easily creates hybrids and has fragile, usually olive, shiny branches. The leaves are shiny, dark green. The varietal form of "Bulat" is a slow-growing tree with an almost spherical, dense crown.
"Bulata"
White willow (Salix alba) is a medium to large tree with an irregular, often weeping crown. 'Vitellina' is one of the most showy varieties, known for its colorful shoots that turn all shades of red, orange and yellow in winter.
The Golden Ness cultivar (yellow willow) is a medium-sized deciduous tree, often grown as a multi-stemmed shrub with bright golden-yellow stems. Both varieties are winners of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
"Vitellina"
Goat willow (Salix caprea) is a large shrub or small tree with large pinkish-gray catkins. The 'Kilmarnock' variety of goat willow is a beautiful weeping tree that is ideal for decorating a small garden or growing in a container.
The healing properties of Willow
A decoction of Willow bark relieves rheumatic pain and is also used to treat colds and reduce fever.
Willow bark is rich in tannins, therefore it is used in the manufacture of medicines with disinfectant and antipyretic properties. In addition, the bark has a diuretic and diaphoretic effect.
Salicin (translated from Latin as “willow”) is also obtained from the bark of this tree. Salicin is the basis of aspirin.
Preparations from willow bark also have hemostatic properties. For inflammatory processes of the skin and abscesses, an ointment made from crushed bark and a fat base is used.
For thrombophlebitis, take foot baths from Willow decoction.
Dandruff, itching and hair loss are troubles that can be dealt with by a decoction of Burdock and Willow bark.
However, you should not overuse Willow decoctions due to the large amount of tannins in its bark.
Features of caring for decorative willow
Watering willow
During drought and heat, willow requires abundant watering; it is also useful to spray the crown of small varietal forms; I especially like spraying “Hakuro Nishiki”.
"Kilmarnock"
After planting, seedlings are especially sensitive to lack of moisture, so they require regular irrigation in the first year. Drying out of the soil is unacceptable, so watering is an important factor in caring for willow.
Willow in winter
Most of the listed species and varietal forms are quite winter-hardy, but in severe winters young plants may partially freeze. To avoid problems, it is recommended to insulate young plants for the first 2-3 years using agrofibre or sackcloth.
Important! The grafting site on the trunk is most at risk of freezing
Feeding
Ornamental willows look spectacular if they are fed every year. The dose of fertilizer depends on the size of the plants, their vigor and the fertility of the soil in which they grow.
What fertilizers and when to feed garden plants?
The first feeding of azophoska is carried out at the end of March after pruning, and the second time during the season is fed in early July. Rotted manure or slow-acting preparations are applied only once - at the turn of March and April, since feeding at a later date can reduce the frost resistance of plants.
Willow pruning in spring
An important care for garden willow is pruning, which strengthens the tree, improves its health and allows it to form a crown. Without this procedure, the plant forms a very loose crown, which significantly loses its attractiveness.
Knowing when and how to prune different varieties of plants will help achieve the desired effect.
How to shape willow? The formation of the crown begins in the first years of growth of young seedlings. Willow tolerates pruning very well, which stimulates the development of new side shoots and limits excessive growth.
The procedure is possible at any time of the year, but severe shortening of the branches is best done in the spring after flowering, but before the leaves appear.
Pruning a weeping willow tree
In the first year after planting, shoots of all varieties are pruned, leaving about 20 cm in length or several buds at the base of the shoots. The cut is made just above the bud, about 3-4 mm.
In subsequent years, all bush willow branches are pruned at the point where they began to grow at the beginning of the previous season. The plant will respond to annual pruning using this method with abundant flowering and lush growth.
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Erect shoots of trees are shortened almost completely in the spring, leaving the trunk. Over the course of a season, after such pruning, the tree produces powerful growth of new branches, forming a dense, rounded crown.
Sections of large branches are treated with funaben or emulsion paint with the addition of 2% topsin.
Don’t be afraid to experiment - the rapid growth rate of willow will smooth out all possible mistakes due to new growth in just a month.
Standard willows with a rounded crown can be pruned several times during the season, but the last cut is made no later than July.
The procedure compacts the crown and stimulates the growth of new shoots. In weeping forms of Pendula, the branches are shortened to a length depending on the personal preferences of the gardener.
To maintain the health of the willow, sanitary pruning is also carried out.
A crown that is too thick is thinned out so that the plant receives more air and light, and weak, diseased and damaged shoots are removed.
It is also worth remembering the systematic cutting down of wild basal shoots, which grow from the rhizomes of willow trees grafted onto the trunk. After pruning, the plants need to be fed and watered abundantly.
Willow propagation by cuttings
Willows are one of the easiest plants to propagate by cuttings. In fact, you can grow a new tree by simply taking part of a branch and planting it in moist soil.
Cuttings take root so easily due to the presence of a natural hormone in the plant tissue that stimulates the growth of new roots.
Willow cuttings
It is better to take cuttings in the spring so that the young seedlings become stronger before the winter cold. Cut cuttings 20-30 cm long and bury them in a moist, fertile substrate directly into open ground or a container.
Choose a place with bright but diffused light, protection from direct sunlight and constantly maintain soil moisture.
The roots form within a few weeks, and by autumn the cuttings can be carefully transplanted to a permanent location.
Willow cuttings placed in water very quickly form roots, after which they are planted immediately in a permanent growing place.
Pests and diseases of garden willow
The willow dries out and turns yellow - the problem is most often caused by a lack of moisture due to irregular watering during drought or planting in sandy soil that does not retain water well.
Willow turns yellow
Drying of willow is caused by a group of fungal diseases and pest attacks.
Spotting of leaves and shoots . Numerous dark brown or black spots appear on the upper side of the leaves, and browning of the tissues can be seen on the reverse side.
Heavily infected leaves turn yellow and fall off prematurely. Willow patches may be brown or black, dry, and have a cracked surface. The tops of infected shoots may die.
Black spotting is characterized by black spots along the midrib. Leaves wrinkle, wither and fall off. Dark necrotic spots, several centimeters in size, appear on the bark, and shoots in the affected area die.
Rust is characterized by the appearance of bright orange-yellow spots on the foliage.
Fungal spores that can survive the winter on dead branches infect new shoots the following season. Wet weather in spring stimulates the spread of diseases, which are especially dangerous for young seedlings.
For disease control and treatment, first of all, leaves and shoots with visible disease symptoms should be cut off and burned to prevent fungal spores from continuing to spread.
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Then the plantings are treated with the antifungal drug Topsin M 500 SC. Spraying must be repeated 2-3 times with an interval of 10-14 days.
Mulching the tree trunk area around the diameter of the crown will help conserve water during dry times, but avoid mulching close to the tree trunk, as this will create ideal conditions for fungal attack.
Among the pests you should be wary of are aphids, caterpillars, scale insects, spider mites, and willow gall midges, which form galls on the leaves and trunk of the willow. Having noticed these pests, it is usually necessary to remove the damaged parts of the shoots and treat the plant with appropriate insecticidal preparations.
Willow in landscape design
Ornamental willow can be planted alone or in groups, such as creating unusual wicker hedges, for which the vibrant purple willow is best suited. Weeping willow will be a magnificent decoration for any pond, and dwarf varieties will fit perfectly into the composition of alpine slides.
Hakuro Nishiki shrub form in garden design
The Japanese willow Hakuro Nishiki in landscape design can be a spectacular tapeworm in the form of a standard tree, and the low-growing shrubby form is planted along paths, flower beds, and lawns as a low variegated hedge.
A tree on a trunk looks charmingly surrounded by a bright flower carpet, miniature shrubs, and against the backdrop of an emerald lawn. Varieties with colored bark planted next to the tree will create a unique decorative accent, which is especially effective in winter and early spring.
Application of Willow
Willow is of great importance for agriculture and plays a large role in replenishing natural resources.
Willow is used as a protective planting, creating its own microclimate for planting and a protective area from the winds.
In depleted and depleted soil zones, Willow often becomes a “pioneer” and improves soil conditions for other plants. Fallen leaves of Willow improve the composition of substances. It is for these reasons that growing Willow is one of the techniques for improving forestry.
As a fast-growing tree, Willow is an excellent source of material. Some species are capable of producing an annual harvest.
Willow twigs are used in the manufacture of wicker furniture, baskets and other household items. The ease of replenishing these resources saves the forces of nature and makes it possible to preserve valuable forest plantations.
Woodworkers use willow bark when staining wood to imitate more expensive and valuable wood.
Use of plants in everyday life
The bark and leaves of this plant were used to treat fever in Greece and Ancient Egypt, and in the United States of America, broom decoctions were used as an analgesic. Later, scientists found that the tree has many useful substances, including salidroside, tannin, flavonoids, salicin and salicylic acid.
Flexible thin branches have long been used for weaving furniture, fences and enclosures, and fish traps. Today, chairs, baskets, boxes and cradles are made from willow twigs. In agriculture, it is an excellent honey plant, valuable because of its early flowering and a protector against erosion, easily coping with it thanks to its long and twisting roots.
Most species of the “willow” family are a separate ornamental crop that can decorate a park area or a personal plot. Many designers include plants in their compositions and create gardens in an original style.
Popularly, this tree has several names: willow, willow, willow, vine, lozinka, etc. Until now, scientists have not come to a consensus: willow is a tree or shrub. After all, the “willow” family has about 600 species, differing in size and external characteristics. Experienced gardeners know that it is a shrub and deciduous tree, but for amateurs it is not always clear where the willow grows, why it is called a weeping willow and what the willow looks like.
