How to Prune a Pink Leaf Willow
Pink leaf willows, or dappled willows, grow in a similar fashion to other weeping willow trees. The branches dip downward toward the ground as opposed to horizontally, creating a dramatic effect in your landscaping. As implied by their nickname, dappled willows produce long, pink branches and pink leaves in the spring, though the leaves gradually turn to white and green throughout the summer. Like most willows, a pink leaf willow can withstand a lot of pruning. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Trim all dead wood from the pink leaf willow during the winter season, late November to early March, during which time the tree is dormant. Dead wood generally appears duller in color than living wood, even during dormancy, but you can check to see if wood is dead before removing it by cutting into the bark with a sharp, clean knife. If you see green, don't remove the wood.
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Cut the tree back for size during the early spring, late March to early April, just before new growth begins. Like most willows, cutting the pink leaf willow for size generally means trimming up the shoots that sweep the ground. You can cut the shoots back to maintain the appearance of the tree, or to remove branches that get in the way of normal activity.
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Remove up to 1/3 of the branches at the trunk level every couple of years. According to Midwest Gardening, removing branches from the willow every couple of years encourages new growth in the plant.
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Prune the willow as needed throughout the growing season to maintain the tree's shape and size, but only prune when necessary to limit the possibility of infection. If you are working with a new pink leaf willow, trim the low branches and suckers back to the trunk as they form to discourage growth on the lower part of the tree. This helps create one central trunk for the willow.
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