# Hybrid Willows (Anyone have them?)



## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

I know it's a long shot but I'm looking to put some of these as a screen at the back of the property. The neighbor behind me built a fairly large garage and I don't particularly want to look at it. I know these can grow very fast and fill out quickly.

I am just wondering if anyone has one or more and how they like them. I've been watching videos of them and the amount they grow in one season, sometimes up to 12 ft, is crazy! I would be putting them between some cherry and maple trees.


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## Mr McTurf (Jun 21, 2018)

I don't know what variety you are looking at, but when I here Willow, I think be careful. Yes they will grow extremely fast, but at the cost of possibly sending up root suckers in your lawn, and some of them are very messy in that you will be picking up twigs on your lawn frequently.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Thanks @Mr McTurf. These strike me more as looking like a dappled willow type. I'll keep all today in mind though. Especially the root suckers.


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## samjonester (May 13, 2018)

Not sure if you'd want a shorter screen (10'-15'), but a row of dappled willows would look great with the cherry tree.



They propogate super easily, too! This spring I cut a shoot of my moms plant and put it in a bucket for a couple weeks. It developed roots and I planted the little stick. Now it's about the size of something I would have bought in a pot at a nursery! If you bought one you could easily turn that single plant into a free screen.


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## samjonester (May 13, 2018)

pennstater2005 said:


> Thanks @Mr McTurf. These strike me more as looking like a dappled willow type. I'll keep all today in mind though. Especially the root suckers


Willow trees (think weeping willow) are the messy ones. They've got very shallow and invasive root systems and can't be planted near foundations or sidewalks.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

samjonester said:


> pennstater2005 said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks. These strike me more as looking like a dappled willow type. I'll keep all today in mind though. Especially the root suckers
> ...


Definitely not a weeping willow! These are them here.


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## samjonester (May 13, 2018)

Looks a bit like a bamboo screen. Now that's an invasive plant! If it grows similar to a dappled willow I think you will like it, but if it spreads aggressively (that page says 20-30ft mature width), you might like it about as much as if you had planted bamboo instead :lol:

I love the dappled willow I took my shoot from, FWIW. Beautiful plant all year, and doesn't spread much.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

samjonester said:


> Looks a bit like a bamboo screen. Now that's an invasive plant! If it grows similar to a dappled willow I think you will like it, but if it spreads aggressively (that page says 20-30ft mature width), you might like it about as much as if you had planted bamboo instead :lol:
> 
> I love the dappled willow I took my shoot from, FWIW. Beautiful plant all year, and doesn't spread much.


I have a dappled willow screen. It grew nicely to about 10-12 feet in just a few years. I hope they're not too aggressive. I'm going to need to do more research. I'll plant about 3-4 five feet apart and so they should just grow into each other and thicken up. At least I hope that's what happens!

Here's the dappled willow screen......


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## samjonester (May 13, 2018)

That screen looks awesome! You're gonna love it as those plants thicken up.

Is the hybrid willow a tree or is it a shrub like the dappled version you've got? I can't tell from that site. If it's a tree, then the width would just be the canopy and not lateral spread at the ground. If it is a tree, how structurally sound will it be with that delicate appearance?

It looks nice though! I'm curious what you find out and decide to do.


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