I bought two small (2 ft tall) grafted weeping pussy willows at (of all places!) my local grocery store for $6 each. I couldn’t resist, I have always loved pussy willows and didn’t know there was a weeping variety. The tag told me to keep them inside (I have them in a basement under lights and near a window) until danger of frost is past and then they could be planted outside and would be winter hardy. The tag didn’t tell me how big they would grow however. I know I shouldn’t plant them near water lines but I wondered if there is any issue if they are possibly close to the extended part of a sewage drain field. (We know where our tank is but I don’t know how far the lines extend – I’d be putting the trees at least 60 feet on a diagonal from where the tank is.) There are huge oak trees that close to the tank already lol.
Any one who has any other tips for growing these trees please chime in! I am really excited about them.
A weeping pussy willow must be staked for additional height. Usually the ones for landscapes (Kilmarnock willow, fyi) are grafted at 4-6’ in height so no staking is required. If you were to plant it as is it’ll basically spread like a ground cover, probably rooting branches as it grows.
I don’t know enough about drain fields to say much, but I would be cautious. A willow is a willow at the end of the day!
I can put them twice as far away and have them on one side of my planned flower garden area. i was hoping for symmetry and putting one on each side but I sure don’t want problems later!
So – that these are grafted only 18 inches off the ground is a bad thing? I don’t mind staking but I guess what you’re saying is I will need to train the bottom part of the weeping branches to a stake or support in order to get the additional height to keep it off the ground? I don’t mind if it is more bush like than tree as long as it doesn’t turn into a total mess. It should take pruning well and grow fast if it is like the regular pussy willows I experienced as a kid.
I guess I will just have to see how it turns out. I’d be tempted to grow it in a big pot as a sort of bonsai but I’d forget to water it and that’d be it. In any case I have read that I can grow cuttings easily from the weeping form on the top and can with staking and training form them into trees before letting them weep.
I’m just happy to have a pussy willow again. Haven’t had one around for years.
I’m not sure what a pussy willow needs. I do have a Wisconsin weeping willow I planted in the most wet spot I have here and it absolutely thrives. I cut it down to about a foot Last year when I first planted cause it looked very iffy at best. After pruning it put 6 feet on in one year.
