Japanese Dappled Willow Trees and Shrubs (5th Year’s Growth) and FAQs // Zone 8b PNW Backyard Garden

[@NotAnotherBonsaiChannel]

Hey Lena! Looks like you have a beautiful garden and a very informative channel too. I think you are right, the best way to learn is through experience or sharing ones experience.

[@Linasgardens]

Thank you! Your channel is super informative too and a very interesting channel name :)

[@NotAnotherBonsaiChannel]

@@Linasgardens Thanks Lena. Well, I always try to be a little bit different.

[@babskara3911]

Hi, wow love love your vids. Great garden love the way you take time to exlain in detail. I bought my Japanrse Dappled willow tree a year ago and doing well. I wondered if you grew the bush version by taking cuttings from the tree version please. Thank you. Babs x

[@parsley7894]

New to your channel, your Dappled Willow videos are great. Some of the best information I’ve seen on KZbin. I bought one shrub form 3 years ago and it looks very similar to yours. Just bought another shrub form today that’ll I’ll be planting soon. Thanks for the update videos on their growth.

[@Linasgardens]

Thank you! I’m glad to hear that because that’s what I wanted my willow videos to be. When I started out, I saw a lot of plant introduction videos but not many follow ups. Sometimes I really wonder how fast or slow it grew, what shape and how big it grew into, pros and cons, etc. I hope your willows are doing great and bringing you much joy like mine have been doing for me :) Happy Gardening! 🌿🌸

[@leslieevans6464]

Nice I found the dappled willow and planted some as well. Because I saw your videos. Your garden looks amazing

[@Linasgardens]

Thank you :) That’s wonderful! I hope your dapple willows bring you lots of joy 😊🌸🌿

[@MoonLightOnWater1]

I’m in zone 8b PNW as well. I just planted six Japanese dappled willows about six weeks ago. I see growth already….I also underplanted them with “eye spy” foamy bells.

[@Linasgardens]

How awesome! What are eye spy foamy balls? I’ve never heard of them before!

[@MoonLightOnWater1]

@@Linasgardens foamy bells….a Huechera hybrid.

[@ParqForrest]

Thanks for the update! I just planted 2 this week. I’d like to try to train them into trees!😊

[@Linasgardens]

That’s very awesome! I wanna learn how to train them into trees too! 🌸🌿

[@sammysworld5485]

Hi Lina. Would be helpful if you can demonstrate the pruning process of your dapple shrub in the Spring next time. I’m having the problem with my willow growing too wide & tall. First I thought of limbing it up to tree form but it doesn’t have any main vertical branch. I’ve decided to coppice everything to the ground coming this Spring so it can grow new shoots to keep it controlled. Have you ever tried this method?

[@Linasgardens]

Hi Sammy! I just cut my willows back pretty severely, though not as hard like coppicing. If I remember correctly, you cut back almost to the ground with this method, right? I had to cut mine back to keep them controlled because we’re moving 😣 We’re gonna be away for 3 years. I have been so busy I have not had any time to make new videos but I’ve been taking some pics and videos of the process as I went along. I have not tried coppicing but I’ve seen some videos on KZbin of people doing it that have been super informative and helpful. It sounds to me like our willows must be of similar age from the way you described it. Mine have grown too tall and wide too but my yard is also small so a lot of trees look big fast. I think you made the right choice to coppice yours. That should rejuvenate it and I’m sure it’ll come back stronger and better and brighter in color!

[@NameTaken_86]

Bought two dappled last summer from Lowe’s. The foliage went from basketball size to apx 5ft round in one growing season. Trunk growth in height was nominal but did thicken.

[@Linasgardens]

Oh my! That was some significant growth in just one season! Yes these shrubs seem to just want to grow and grow! I pruned mine earlier this spring and it seems to have brought out the tri-color effect even more so than usual. It started out slow at first but right now (May-June) all of mine are looking very salmon-pink. Absolutely gorgeous.

[@NameTaken_86]

@@Linasgardens yes they do! I also pruned mine this spring just as new growth was coming in (March) but they haven’t gotten any larger and the branch tips haven’t leafed out. Perhaps it’s from not watering them much this year or from a weeping Willow I planted that’s now blocking their morning sun.

[@dasledogg64]

They all are beautiful! Your experience had been so helpful. The time tables you provide are great. How long did it take for your twisted trunk to bond? Thank you for sharing.

[@Linasgardens]

Thank you! I’m glad you found this helpful. I started seeing the bond around year 3 of growth. When they first came, it was so clear the tree had two trunks. And I didn’t know that they were going to eventually become one. It was very cool to see!

[@kfossi1986]

I love the dappled willow. I'm going to try to propagate them. My shrub is about 6ft. Do you think I can trim the bottoms to look like a tree?

[@Linasgardens]

I’ve never tried but I would think you could if you know how and when to trim the branches! You should definitely give it a go!

[@moesawad]

How is the fall cleanup of leaves for the trees? When is the best time to plant them?

[@Linasgardens]

Hi, I didn’t have to do much cleanup in the first few years as they weren’t very big. And the leaves are small enough that once they drop, they act almost like mulch. I just left them there on the ground and it’s been fine. I feel like moat of the trouble with Japanese dappled willows is their pruning of branches each year. They grow fast! Best time to plant in ground is early spring or late fall.

[@taraliou1021]

Where did you buy the Victoria California lilac? How does it look now in Spring? Thanks

[@Linasgardens]

Hi. I got mine at a local nursery but I also walked by a few of these at Lowe’s garden center, this was a few years ago. I haven’t seen them this year though but I’m sure they’re still being sold. Victoria California Lilac shrub looks great all year round. It has survived winter here in zone 8b perfectly fine for me the past 4-5 years, looking evergreen with their little glossy leaves. Right now all the tiny buds are super swollen getting ready to bloom here soon and that is when it looks most glorious!

[@VanessaMota-x8k]

Hello, I often read that these trees/shrubs have invasive roots, they love to seek water pipes. So I had to relocate my tree in a pot. Is this true? Thank you.

[@Linasgardens]

Hi! I read that too but not specifically about Japanese Dappled Willows but I guess since they’re willows all the same they probably have similar characteristics. I think it’d be wise not to plant these guys near your septic tank, sewer or underground plumbing lines. So far for me, I haven’t encountered any problems. I don’t see any shallow roots protruding from the soil surface or anything like that. I’ll keep watch and continue to share my experience if anything happens :)

[@kristinalocke2744]

How far apart do you plant them?

[@Linasgardens]

I think I have mine about 8 feet apart.