Iwa willow (Salix caprea) is a showy, beautifully flowering tree or shrub. It is common in parks, forests and meadows, but you can also grow it in your own garden. The ivory tree is not demanding to cultivate, and you do not need to carry out many maintenance treatments. It blooms in early spring with a characteristic base.
What does the willow look like?
The willow is a popular species of shrub or tree, found almost in all over Poland.It grows widely, from the lowlands to the higher parts of the mountains. It appears in bright, not very dense forests and forms thickets on the border of meadows. It is not used very much in natural medicine or cosmetology, but it is sometimes grown in gardens and parks as an ornamental and shading plant.
A willow willow grows upup to a height of 22 meters as a tree or 9 meters as a shrubIt has a spherical shape and dark gray, cracked bark. Its leaves are quite distinctive - oblong, delicately quilted at the edges, pointed at the end. The underside of the leaf is covered with white, dense hairs and covered with a network of protruding veins.
The ivory tree is adioecious plant , which means that male and female flowers are present on separate trees. Just before the leaves appear, it produces fluffy bases, also called kittens. The male ones are shorter and more rounded than the female ones. The willow flowers are very effective and pretty, often collected in vases as a symbol of spring - the more so as it is one of the earliest flowering trees in Poland.There are glands at the base of cats, so willow is a honey plant. It is also pollinated by insects and the seeds are carried by wind (wind-pollination). Very often it creates hybrids with such species of willows as alpine, blackening, lanceolate, Sami willow.
Willow iwa - cultivation
Willow iwa it often grows in areas that are designated for a park or garden and is sometimes left there for aesthetic reasons. You can also buy a seedling of this plant to plant in your garden. Willow andwa pendula appearin two cultivarsOne of them is Kilmarnock, a male variety with a small size and shoots hanging down to the ground. It is extremely effective, which is why it is often found in parks and gardens. The second is a female variety, Weeping Sally, with a very similar, though less flowing, habit.
Cultivated willow varieties are sold as stem grafted forms. They grow on almost any soil and do not have any special requirements in this regard.However, they should have constant, light humidity. The more bright and sunny the position, the better the bush will thicken and grow faster. The Iva willow in the garden is a showy but undemanding plant. As long as it is a small seedling, it should be tied to stabilizing stakes. After that, it only needs regular trimming to keep it beautiful in shape. It is very often planted on the edges of ponds. Iwa willow is a completely frost-resistant plant, there is no need to cover it for the winter.
Iwa willow - stem grafting
Iwa willow as a plant the cultivable is grafted onto a wild willow trunk. This gives her immunity, and also allows her to flower and expand faster. Stump grafting isa method of improving plantsIt is made by transplantation - the scion (part of the plant to be grafted, in this case willow and cultivated willow) must fuse with the undercoat (wild willow trunk, most often already rooted) and start using its system for extracting water and mineral s alts from the soil.Grafting plants is quite a complicated procedure that requires some knowledge and practice. There are also various techniques of vaccination, and the final result depends on the correct choice.
Willow iwa - pruning
Willow iwa should be trimmed regularly, to keep a nice, desired shape. Willows should be pruned after flowering so as not to inhibit the kitten production process. Willow iwa has atendency to grow vigorouslywhich is unlikely to be inhibited. Crossing shoots and those that interfere with the desired shape of the plant can be trimmed to 2.3 lengths. When the plant is a few years old, you can also trim it completely to rejuvenate it. Pruning willow is not difficult, this plant tolerates pruning very well, even if made by an inexperienced gardener.
Willow iwa pendula - diseases
Willow iwa, like any plant, can be attacked byvarious diseases and pestsThe most common diseases are:
- willow rust (caused by Melamopsora spp.),
- willow shoot dieback (caused by fungi),
- willow melanoma (caused by Rhytisma salicinum),
- scab (fungus-induced).
Diseases are most visible on the leaves. They cause discoloration, sometimes with visible fungal spores. But fungi aren't the only pathogens in willow trees. They are also parasites such as aphids, willow spider mite, willow mite, willow gutter. In order to combat the disease, spray (one or more times) with an appropriate preparation.
