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Why Buy Our 10-60cm Cell Grown Trees?
- Our trees are covered by our FREE TREE WARRANTY. (first 15% not covered)
- Very easy to plant all year, little cultivation required and very high success rate.
- Root plug contains both naturally occurring mycorrhizae and fertilser.
- Cell grown i.e. 1 year old and 10-60cm. Establish quickly.
- Plants do not "check" when planted so rapid early growth.
- Grown in Scotland with fertilizer and mycorrhizae.
Salix Purpurea (Purple Osier Willow)
A native, deciduous British willow variety, the Purple Osier Willow (Salix Purpurea) is a medium height and spreading shrub reaching some 4-8m in height and up to 4m wide. In the UK, heights of 4-5m seem to be more common. In this age of identity theft you should know that Salix Purpurea has also been found to be going by the names of Basket Willow or Bitter Willow.
Some people like the Purple Osier Willow because of the brightly coloured arching winter shoots, others for the Grey/Silver flowers in Spring or the blue and green foliage. If it is the colour you are looking for, then prune back about a third of the shrub to ground level in the Winter as the new shoots will be a red/purple colour.
The purple to red catkins are visually quite striking when they make their appearance in early Spring.
A very hardy tree, listed as H6 which means it will withstand a very cold winter but for those wanting more specifics it will go to minus 20 degree centigrade which covers all of UK.
A fast -growing, tree, it is noted for its large, upright catkins. This willow is commonly used in basket-weaving, cricket bats and other willow craftwork such as coppicing, screening and windbreaks.
You will get best results by planting Purple Osier Willow in full sun, in deep moist but well drained soil although it will cope with wet soil as most other Willows do. Soil conditions listed as favourable or tolerable are acid, alkaline, neutral, loam, clay, and sand which sounds like all of them however shallow chalk soils are listed as "dislikes". We feel your confusion as surely this comes under alkaline? Ah the joys of gardening and cultivation, the only constant is that there is no constant.
The catalogue lists these as suitable for wet, exposed and hostile sites so nudist swimming pools in Afghanistan would benefit from planting these. As with many other Willow, they are used for stabilising river banks, providing early pollen and supports various moth and butterflies.
The bark of Purple Osier Willow is interestingly a source of aspirin and was, traditionally, chewed to ease headaches in the time before the drug became so commonly available as a manufactured product.
Delivery
Due to courier unpredictability, we advise having your trees delivered AT LEAST 3 days before you actually need them.
Returning Cell Grown Trees
For Phytosanitary reasons, cell grown trees cannot be returned to the nursery.
Delaying Planting Cell Grown Trees
If you cannot plant straight away, take the trees out of the packaging and stand upright next to each other in a sheltered location outside. November to March, no need to water unless they start to dry out and these would be ok for up to 6 weeks. During Spring and Summer, you can do this for up to 3 weeks.
Site Conditions And Evergreen Tree List
Our tree chart details which site conditions suit which trees and also which are evergreen or semi-evergreen.
Feeding Or Fertilizing Hedges
This is a task that can easily be over done. Any nitrogen based fertilizer will do such as 20:20:10 but the longer lasting ones which take 18/24 months are better as they are regulated by the weather and moisture therefore release slowly.
Woodburning Chart
If you are one of those lucky people that lead an eco lifestyle (VERY jealous if you are) and want to buy trees to burn, then maybe our wood burning chart (excel spread sheet) will help you decide. Ash, Eucalyptus Gunnii and Willow are worth looking at for their growth rates and calorific values.
Adding A Bit Of Colour And Attract Wildlife
Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) is very attractive, fragrant and attracts more wildlife to your garden. A bit on the vigorous side but worth the effort. A great addition to your project.
Tree Spacing
Broadleaf wood planting would be around 3m between each tree. Christmas tree planting for a commercial crop is around 1m.
Factors Detrimental To Cell Grown Trees
Too much/little water, animal Urine, excessive wind exposure (will slow growth), salt spray, frost on new growth, herbicide drift and over application of fertilizer.
Growing Willow For Bio Fuel
If you are in the enviable position of having enough land, then click the link grow your own Bio Fuel.
Canker On Willow Trees
Canker can show itself in the form of black leaves and bark, almost looking like they have been burnt. This is something transmitted by the weather, birds and animals etc and affects thin barked trees in particular. It can get it through wounds to the tree and there is no effective treatment other than cutting the diseased part out and allowing the tree to grow again.
Keeping the tree healthy in the first few years will help the tree fight off infection so fertilise and control weed infestation.
Water Logged Conditions And Willow Trees
So long as you do not have permanent standing water e.g. your local diving and sailing club meets on your lawn then Willow, Alder, Birch and Poplar will be ok to plant and maybe even help lower the level.
Willow Tree Sexing
We are unable to provide the sex of the Willow Trees. We have tried watching to see which toilet they go into but as tree bladders go, these are pretty resilient. Our "watcher" needed to go before they did and gave up.
