Dragon claw willow
Bushy 77
Posts: 15
A friend has just cut my dragon claw willow tree back down to about two meters of trunk, he was trying to help but i'm gutted. Will it grow back and if not can i plant a cutting to grow. Please help!!!
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Bushy 77
Posts: 15
Posts
The RHS via google says you can massacre it and it should recover!
Cuttings are softwood and in early summer.
Thanks so much, feeling much better.
Yes, this is one of the ways to treat them if you want to keep any willow small - my contorted willow gets cut back to telegraph pole state every year, and is gorgeous again in a few weeks - worry not, all should be well.
Thank you.
Well, I never knew my twisted willow was also called Dragon's Claw. Much better name.
Mine was summarily hacked to a stump last autumn by a man with a chain saw when the local electricity distribution board came looking for the causes of a power cut. Two bird sown willows on the edge of my land had been blowing around in the gales and caused overhead cables to short. They decapitated my Dragon's Claw too as a preventive measure.
It has new shoots just starting but I'm still waiting for the cuttings I took to hsow any growth. Have to be patient.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I dont care if it takes years i'm just pleased its going to grow back.
It will, and you will be surprised as to how quicky.
Obelixx, try rooting your cuttings in water , takes about 3 -4 weeks, then plant in good compost - have done this for years - since accidentally discovering this when I kept a few branches indoors in a vase for decoration. When I took them outside the vase was full of roots - have scattered cuttings of this all over this area since then!!
Not absolutely sure that Dragons Claw is the same as contorted, but do suspect so - family is right anyway so should respond the same.
Bookertoo - I did root them in water and then potted them up but theyve had this winter to contend with so it's a case of wait and see. Mama dragon looks OK though so I'll take some more as insurance later on.
A couple of years ago my sister-in-law went green when she saw my tree as she'd spent a fortune and loads of petrol going round all the florists buying it up for her son's wedding decs. Could have had it all free if she'd said.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I know how that happens, friend of mine has just spent an inordinate amount of money on a fig tree - I could have given him 10 gratis if he'd only mentioned it!!
I wonder if you live where it is colder than here? Mind, the mamma tree has only just started leafing, I'd have stayed in too if it were as cold as that where I was! Maybe yur babies will start soon now it is getting lighter - do hope so - it is such a lovely tree.
It does get colder here. -15C for 2 or 3 weeks at a a time is common in winter and in recent years -20 and 25C have been known too. It's not so bad if we have snow but lethal without that blanket. Funnily enough, my box cuttings have coped, along with some persicaria divisions but no green shooots yet on the baby dragons kept in the same sheltered corner.
However, I never give up on shrubs till June. Last year I was about to bin my fig in a pot when I spotted shoots in mid June. I put it in the ground to see if it would do any better but it didn't think much of this winter either so I've moved it to the greenhouse and given it a pep talk.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw