What grows well with willow trees?

Companion Planting and Design Keep the large willows away from the house where branches might fall during a storm. Smaller shrub and dwarf willows can be planted in a mixed shrub border with other common shrubs such as lilac, weigela, and spirea.

What will grow under a willow tree?

Top-dress the area underneath the tree with soil and a shady blend of grass; shade-tolerant grasses provide a soft, natural texture underneath a weeping willow tree. For the least possible maintenance, strip away the existing turf around the base of the tree and put down a weed mat.

What is wrong with my weeping willow tree?

Common Willow Tree Problems A few of the most serious willow tree problems do not cause peeling willow bark. These include infestation by gypsy moth caterpillars, willow leaf beetles, and bagworms that will defoliate the tree. The worst willow diseases include: Crown gall, which causes stunting and dieback.

What grows well under a weeping willow?

The key is to choose plants that thrive in the shade. Jerusalem sage and white trillium grow natively on the forest floor, so they’re ideal for groundcover under a weeping tree.

How far do weeping willow roots spread?

Weeping willows typically produce foliage that is between 45 and 70 feet wide at maturity with roots that can spread approximately 100 feet from the center of the trunk of large specimens.

How far from a house should a weeping willow be planted?

If you plant a willow tree in your backyard, make sure it is at least 50 feet away from your house and any other nearby buildings, plus any underground sewage, gas, water or electrical lines.

How far from a house should you plant a willow tree?

For example, a mature willow tree will draw between 50 and 100 gallons of water per day from the ground around it, having a minimum recommended distance from buildings of 18m, but a birch tree, having a far smaller root system, may be planted far closer to a property without danger of damage.

What kills a weeping willow?

Weeping willows are susceptible to many fungal diseases and a few bacterial diseases, but only cotton root rot ordinarily causes them to die within hours or days. Cytospora canker (Cytospora chrysosperma), crown gall (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) and a deficiency of iron can also kill weeping willow.

How deep do weeping willow roots go?

Weeping willow tree roots are aggressive, invasive and shallow, and they can spread up to three times the length of the tree (from the trunk to the canopy). The roots often lie close to the soil surface, causing bumps in the lawn, which interferes with mowing.