“Hakuro-nishiki” willows provide far more beauty than pussy willows. Think pale leaf-flames of cream, pink and soft green in the springtime, stems barely pink turning brilliant red in the winter, and also a tousled contour moving toward fountain as it matures. The “Hakuro-nishiki” willow (Salix integra “Hakuro Nishiki”), also known as the dappled willow, lights along a sunny corner of your lawn. Dappled willows thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 though 9. Left unchecked, they grow into shrubs 6 feet tall and wide, but you can prune them back in winter.
Prune out all dead branches. These are normally a dark color and simple to recognize. To confirm a branch is dead, slice a thin strip of outer bark with a sharp knife. If the layer beneath is green, then the branch is alive. Cut back dead branches to the point of origin, either the main stem or the ground.
Eliminate genital or broken limbs. Cut out crossing or rubbing branches. Trim all cut branches back to a lateral branch using a diameter of twenty that of the cut branch.
Trim selected tall branches back to ground level each year if you would like a small, compact tree. This keeps the height of the tree and promotes new growth. To maintain the willow even shorter, crown-trim in July, taking off the top third of the branches. Make the cuts in lateral branches and prevent stubs.
Tip-trim that the willow regularly to permit the lush new growth to provide its variegated spring screen. Prune branch tips approximately 6 inches, which makes the cuts over a leaf bud or lateral branch.