Advice on planting a 'Salix integra 'Hakuro-nishiki'

ren.b

I have just bought one of these, not sure but think it is the standard tree form (as opposed to the bush).  I have found some info online as to positioning etc but it doesn't mention anything about staking and the trunk part looks so thin and fragile.  I've just looked up 'staking' on the RHS site and there are different ways to do it but not sure which one to choose (double/single etc).

We also have deer that come each year and we quickly learned we needed to protect an earlier tree with this plastic stuff that wraps around the trunk but will this affect the salix in anyway?

It doesn't look much like the card that came with it (will post the plant and the card) so am hoping it will bush out much more and that it will be happy by our stream.

If anyone has planted one of these and can offer any advice I would be delighted to hear from you - just bear in mind, you are talking to a novice (an enthusiastic one but still learning).

this is what the tree on the card looks like - maybe that one is older?

This is the one we bought today

Top part -

amancalledgeorge

That looks like it has just been grafted...hope it was cheap.  Other members grow them so hopefully will help further. 

ren.b

Yes it was cheap - got it from a local B&M.  I would really like to get some sort of blossom tree and keep seeing them online but how on earth do they travel?  I had a terrible experience with getting plants delivered from a well known company and the courier would just throw them through the catflap ....

Katrinaomalley44

I have one like yours. I bought it three years ago. It's tall, bushy, thick stemmed and beautiful now. It's top heavy and when it began to sway in the wind I staked it (ineptly) and I'm glad I did. 

amancalledgeorge

I really don't see the appeal of them...but it would be a boring world if we all liked the same things. Glad yours improved, it's a willow after all, given enough water they'll grow and grow. 

ren.b

Katrinamalley44 - so pleased to hear yours has turned into a beautiful plant, mine seems happy, not sure if I should trim it anyhow yet or wait for a year, did you do anything to yours in its first year?  Will take a photo in the daylight to compare to my first photo. Mine is a memorial for my cat who passed away in May - his name was 'Bushy' (he had a beautiful bushy tail) and as soon as I saw this tree I thought 'that's it'.  My remaining cat 'Cato' passed away two days ago (very sudden downturn with his heart condition) - had no choice but to put him to sleep - I'm trying to think of something to plant for him too - he would hate to be outdone by his nemesis.  I'm thinking of another small ornamental tree, I've always wanted some sort of blossom tree but not sure how hard they are to take of .... any ideas?

Fairygirl

Not too sure what you mean by 'not sure how hard they are to take of'  @ren.b ?
Do you mean how hard they are to grow?
Most trees need to be in the ground to do well. Very difficult to grow them successfully in containers unless the container is huge, and you give them adequate care.
Some of the dwarf apple trees might be worth researching though. They're grafted onto a dwarf rootstock to keep them neater

Dovefromabove

I hope that Salix has been planted in the ground by now, and given lots of water. 

😊 

Fairygirl

I think the OP was planting it by a stream @Dovefromabove. It'll be happy there. 

Like @amancalledgeorge, I've never seen the attraction either, but we all like different things. Some folk like those Photinias too, despite the fact they look dreadful for large parts of the year in many parts of the UK   

Dovefromabove

Ah yes @Fairygirl … thank you … I see that now. 🙄 I obviously need more coffee ☕️ 

Fairygirl

Not like me to notice stuff either these days @Dovefromabove