My Weeping Willow’s Branches Froze This Past Winter And Have…
Karen Asked
My weeping willow’s branches froze this past winter and have died. The tree is sprouting leaves at the trunk. What should I do so I won’t lose my tree? I do love my weeping willow. She was so graceful billowing in the wind.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Karen: The ice storm we experienced this past winter damaged many trees along with other plant material. The weight of the ice, especially on a weeping tree, was too much for many to handle. I am sorry about your weeping willow. Unfortunately, the shoots that are coming up from the base of the tree are those of another closely related species and not those of your weeping willow. All weeping trees are grafted onto hardier rootstock of another tree. This means that if you continue to let those shoots grow you could have another tree, but there is no telling which one it might be. If you want a weeping willow in that space, you should remove the existing tree and plant another healthy tree. It is always sad to lose a specimen in the landscape but the garden is an ever-changing space and Mother Nature, as we know, can force us to make changes in the garden.
