Salix – Willow trees are a fairly common species of trees that primarily grow along any type of water way. Most Willow trees growing in Colorado pretty much grow straight up or as a clump of different trunks all growing in different directions. Colorado’s most famous yamadori collector is Jerry Morris. He is actually one of the most famous yamadori collectors in the United States. Jerry collected a magnificent yamadori Willow tree off a ranch around Fairplay, Colorado growing along a stream in the mountains. I purchased the tree from RMBS member Charlie Sisk who owned it for numerous years after purchasing it from Jerry. I have had this tree for 6-7 years now and am quite familiar with it good points and bad points. Obviously the good points are the incredible deadwood on the tree. The deadwood is so good International Bonsai Master Walter Pall thought it was a Phoenix graft. Jerry Morris had to Walter that it indeed was the real thing. The living tissue originates from the bottom of the trunk and spirals upward towards the sun. As you can the deadwood grew in the shape of a snail shell with a upward spiral direction to it. Each smaller grew up and also spiraled until it was broke off by mother nature. All of these branches are basically broke off at the same height. When this tree leafs out in the spring it will often have a peach color in the new leaves and then peach color will fade off. After several years the willow tree finally started producing your Willow style catkins which are all green and grow straight up towards the sun. Bees seem to like the flowers. This tree is a fast grower if you fertilize it a lot. I use an organic Plant Tone fertilizer. Insects do not seem to bother the tree but I did get a “pinecone gall” on the ends of the branches. This was caused by a wasp. I simple just cut them all off and stepped on them and then off to the trash can. The branches will tend die off over the winter for no reason. It may be impossible to achieve any great ramification since the tree is prone to die off. The tree will not tolerate under watering it either. It loves water and I try to water it three time a day during the hottest part of the growing season.
This tree some how managed to transplant part of itself into a wooden grow box with a Pinus Ponderosa yamadori tree in it. The Willow tree has pretty much overpowered the Pine tree now. I did have to move the Willow/Pine tree and to cut the this new willow tree off at the roots and chop it back at the same time. The willow tree did not mind either function and budding back and continued to grow all summer and fall. I did stick a larger branch/trunk from the Willow tree in a plastic pot with soil in. I did nothing to the branch/trunk except stick some small blocks of wood on top of the soil to hold the trunk up right. It budded right out and started growing and is now well rooted in the soil.
This tree winters in the garage and goes out in the spring.
The tree had significant die back from last winter (2019) and I had to restyle the tree. All branches were de-wired and rewired into new positions. Hopefully the branches will be ok in the spring. I have ordered a new Sara Rayner pot for the tree. It will be re-potted in the spring as it starts to bud out. Repotting the tree should be a challenge as it is very heavy. Here is a photo of the pot.
New 05-11-2021:
The tree survived the winter and I did loose a few more branches which is typical for this tree. I think this is the way it is going to be with the tree. I am thinking about trying to get into a warmer winter spot, perhaps a greenhouse that does drop below 40-45 (f) during the winter? The tree was repotted into the Sara Rayner pot shown below. I was in for a surprise with this tree. I could see a 2 x 4 board sticking out of the soil directly under the large trunk. I tried pulling it out but it would not budge. I removed the tree out of the mica pot and board was still attached to the bottom of the tree. I decided to leave the board as is. No need to destroy the root ball trying to get it out. I just put this tree into this pot not to long ago and I have no idea how I wired the tree into the pot? The tree is massive and how I wired it in is anyone’s guess right now. The tree had to sit in the garage longer then I wanted and the foliage was sprouting and blooming at the same time. Color is light green which is also not good. I did move the tree outside with the help of a large yellow wagon to haul it around to the backyard. I can barely pick this tree up, hence the use of the wagon. No way can I carry this tree very far. Right now it is sitting on a picnic table bench to keep it off the ground. I will fertilize it with Plant Tone all summer and let the little shoots grow longer and eventually incorporate them into the design. The tall green spikes on the tree are the flowers, not very showy but the bees love them. No smell either.
Gallery taken 05-06-2021:
Photo courtesy of Sara Rayner
Here are some photos of the tree and also Jerry Morris who collected the tree.
