Planting a Weeping Willow


  #1  
Old 05-08-05, 07:26 PM
starshipminivan
Visiting Guest
Posts: n/a
Planting a Weeping Willow

We recently had our 50 year-old concrete sewer pipe replaced so I know exactly where it runs. It's about 8 feet down in the ground. We'd like to plant a weeping willow in the yard because it reminds my husband of a yard his family had when he was a kid. How far would be reasonably safe to plant it? The slated location is 25 feet away. Is this far enough? Is it further away than necessary? He'd like it in a locaction a little closer than that but it can go even further away than 25 feet if it must.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
  #2  
Old 05-08-05, 07:53 PM
T
Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: USA
Posts: 15,047
Upvotes: 0
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
Weeping willow roots need a good supply of moisture and they will go looking for it because they are shallow rooted. In such spots where they have adequate moisture, they may attain a height of forty or fifty feet in as many years, with a diameter of two or three feet and roots reaching as far as
1 1/2 the times of the height of the tree.

Willows are well-known for plugging drains. Willow trees are among the most prone trees for taking over gardens, shrub beds and lawns. Roots can also up-heave sidewalks, driveways, and patio and paving stones.

The use of any willow species in the landscape should take into consideration the serious problems associated with them in the form of diseases, insects, nematodes and aggressive root systems. Some of the more common diseases are bacterial twig blight, crown gall, leaf blight, black canker, cytospora canker, anthracnose, gray scab, leaf spots, and rust and tar spots. Insects that can cause damage include aphids, imported willow leaf beetle, pine cone gall, basket willow gall, willow lace bug, willow shoot saw fly, willow scurfy scale and nematodes. And, this is all in addition to damaged driveways and sidewalks and the continuous litter of dropped branches and leaves. But, people love them and plant them anyway despite its inability to do well in residential settings.

I am a fool, too, and love weeping willows. I search for them as I drive for any early harbinger of spring and their romantic grace. You remember "Willow Weep for Me?"

(1932) Ann Ronell

Willow weep for me, willow weep for me,
Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea,
Listen to my plea, listen willow weep for me,
Gone my lover's dream, lovely summer dream,
Gone and left me here to weep my tears into the stream,
Sad as I can be - Hear me willow and weep for me.

Whisper to the wind to say that love has sinned
To leave my heart aching and making this moan,
Murmur to the night to hide her starry light,
So none will find me sighing and crying all alone,
Weeping willow tree, weep in sympathy,
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me,
When the shadows fall, bend oh willow and weep for me.

To leave my heart aching and making this moan,
So none will find me sighing and crying all alone,
Weeping willow tree, weep in sympathy,
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me,
When the shadows fall, bend oh willow,
Bend oh willow and weep for me.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: