How far can you prune Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki'

hi Gaiashelly, i have a bush type of this plant and i believe you can prune quite hard, although if you want to make it into a tree type i would imagine you would do this the same way that you would any other shrub. wait until it grows a bit taller and then take off the bottom branches and shape the top accordingly - i have done this with an Acer tree that i have, and i have also made a 'lollypop' out of a Cenothus before now too, but it does take a few years to get there. unless it is already quite tall and has a fairly obvious main stem, it is best to do this little by little each year. Salix integra is quite cheep to buy as a tree why not just get one ready done?

I would also add that acers can bleed quite badly when pruned so ideally so only be done when dormant

Is a standard that you had in mind when you say 'tree-formed'? The ones you see done as quarter-standards are grafted onto a stem - and not always done very well, either! People cut them back quite hard about now, or they can get very untidy - looking. You can also buy them as a bush, as majeeka said. Again, cut back now before it starts sprouting new leaves.

yes i did cut back in early spring last year when it was still dormant - but i did'nt know that they bled, i had read that Acer should only be cut during the dormant stage, so it was a spot of luck really, have'nt had too many problems with it, apart from a bit of wind burn last autumn, but i think i have now corrected that problem - it now has the greenhouse behind it and the rose arch to the side, what with the fence the other side i don't think it could be more protected lol.

Hi there - been reading this with much interest... We've had one for over a year now and it's grown healthily, standing at about 6 feet now. Thanks to the advice here I will wait until early next year to prune it now in order to give it some shape.

The reason I'm posting here is because this year it has started sprouting lots of new stems from its base. It's produced quite a nice bushy effect, but some of the stems are so high they are completely covering the trunk! I think it looks quite nice but I didn't know if I should prune them back for any reason? Thanks!

Jowie, if yours is grafted, then you should remove any growth from below the graft point, as the new shoots are from the 'donor' willow and will take over. Don't cut them, pull them off if possible, as they will think they should grow again if pruned!

I see... thanks! But how do I know if it has been grafted? It was bought from my local garden centre... The new growth is from the bottom of the 'proper' trunk. So I should pull these off? Should I send a picture just in case?

Thanks for the advice :-)

Why not? It always helps.

If it has been grafted, you will be able to find a knobbly bit below the top growth.

Ahhh found the knobbly bit... Glad someone knows what they're talking about :-)

I've pulled all of the new growth out from the bottom now... One of them had grown so high and thick it was about as tall as the trunk!

Thanks again! :-)

That was a technical term, you realise!!! lol. I'm glad you found it...

yes you speak in terminology I understand... ;-)

i have grafted salix and i was told to just cut back the part of leaves that have gone brown where they use to be pink,