How should I prune weeping willow?

Question

I prune a lot of of neighborhood trees, but I've come to a small problem. Some people like their weeping willows high enough that they can walk underneath without brushing it. I had been doing this by hedge trimming the stems at seven feet. Now I hear that this greatly shortens the life of the tree, as compared with an unpruned tree. Is this true, and if so, is there a better way to prune it?

Answer 1

Improper pruning can shorten a tree's life. However you would have to work really hard to damage a willow with bad pruning. Here's why:

• Willows grow fast
• they will bud from old wood, even really old wood
• they are a messy tree, commonly dropping leaves and branches ==> they are used to breaks or cuts in the branch structure
• willows have been coppiced for centuries. If that kind of hard pruning doesn't kill them off bad pruning is not likely to either. See here for a detailed discussion on pruning for look with willows

If you continue to use a hedge trimmer at the seven foot level you will cause the tree to develop a mass of new growth at that height. It would be better practice and more aesthetically pleasing to use a pole pruner to deliver a series of graduated cuts at various heights. This will yield a wide band of new growth instead of a ribbon at one height

Edit: @David You are right. Trimming with a hedge trimmer is essentially pollarding. However all the cuts are at the same height and, if continued for years, will produce a thick mass of branches. Traditional pollarding creates quite a different look.

Answer 2

I read somewhere to cut all branches that are under 6' from the ground off the main trunk. This allows for sitting under the tree. I am growing mine this way. I like the natural length of the branches. Perhaps this is something your client would consider. Just a thought.