White willow tree: description, cultivation, care

One of the most common representatives of the flora, almost all over the world is the willow Tristis.

The people added to its title epithets white, silver, weeping. Due to its simplicity, willow quickly takes root and grows in almost any conditions. This fact has led to the fact that the tree is endowed with rich symbolism, tied to it many myths, legends and customs.

Willow is widely popular in medicine and landscape design.

The tree is also known under the names willow, belotal, molokitnik, rakita, tal, willow, white-goat, bredina, vetla. The variety of names often provoke questions of what it is. Consider the main features of the cultivation of white frost.

White willow

The white willow is high (20-30 m), an elegant deciduous tree representative of the Willow family. The lush crown of the plant resembles a giant tent. The trunk can reach up to 3 m in diameter, it is covered with a dark gray bark, with deep cracks.

Willow differs from other trees by wayward long flexible branches, olive-green or red-brown in color, which give it a volume and a special decoration.

In the wild, there are about 600 species of willow, but in our climatic conditions live about 100.

Silver willow blooms in late April or early May. Her yellow-green flowers are collected in inflorescences, similar to earrings. In the people willow inflorescences are called "cats". On one inflorescence, different-sex flowers bloom: the male ones have two stamens, the female ones have a pistil with the upper ovary. Fruits, in the form of seed boxes, are formed on the faded "cats".The wind transports the ripened seeds to a huge state, which contributes to the wide spread of the tree. If the seeds fall into the water, they can remain viable for several years, in the open air they are capable of germination only for a while.

The longevity of silver vetla is about 100 years. In one year, the tree can grow up to 100 cm in height and 50 cm in width.

Special attention should be paid to the description of willow leaves. They are lanceolate, narrow and long, the lower part of each leaf is covered with a small grayish fluff (hence the silver epithet). This feature gives the willow some femininity and tenderness. If the weather is calm outside, the leaf-covered tree looks green, and when the breeze rises, the foliage starts to move, turn its lower side to the top, the tree becomes white.

Vetla has a strong and well-developed root system. It should be noted that the level of development and deepening of the roots depends on the level of groundwater occurrence: the closer the water, the less the roots develop. The roots of willows, growing in arid places, can go down by 2-3 m.

Growing conditions

Despite the fact that white (weeping) willow is an unpretentious and undemanding tree, some measures must be observed during its planting. The better conditions to create this gentle beauty, the brighter and healthier she will look.

Location and lighting

Willow is a very light-loving and moisture-loving representative of the flora. These factors should definitely be considered when choosing a place for planting.

It is best to select wetland areas. Ideally - land near a pond, lake or other body of water. Such a place is a guarantee that the tree will never suffer from a lack of moisture.

Growing soil

To the type of soil willow generally unpretentious. The tree gives preference to light and medium loams. Willow grows quietly on sandy, swampy and not fertile gravelly soils.

Planting rules

Starting planting willow, it is worth considering the type of its root system. For planting willow, the root system of which is closed, is suitable any time - from April to October. Plants with an open root system are best planted in early spring, before bud break, or in late autumn, after the leaves have fallen.

The landing process itself consists of the following steps:

• Dig a pit for planting, the diameter of which for shrub species should be 50 cm, tall trees 60 cm. The depth of the planting pit for both species is 40 cm. A willow sapling with a closed root system is placed in a pit the size of which is equal to the earthly coma.
• If the soil is heavy, the bottom of the pit must be laid with sand or rubble (20-30 cm) to ensure drainage.
• For the direct planting of a willow sapling, a substrate of peat, compost, and soil is prepared in the same proportions, and an azofosc is added to it (200 g for one plant).One third of the planting hole is filled with this substrate and a sapling is placed in it.
• After that, the pit is filled up, and the ground around it is tamped down, making a small depression for watering.
• After finishing the process, you need to pour two buckets of water on the soil.
• A tall seedling is tied up to a previously forgotten cola so that it does not break, and locked in an upright position.

How to care for a tree

Silver willow needs special care only during adaptation to the new seat. Despite the fact that the plant is unpretentious, do not forget about it in the next years of life:

• The main rule of caring for a willow that was recently planted is watering, because the tree is extremely fond of moisture. It is necessary to water a sapling once a week early or in the evening. For the organization of the process using 2-5 buckets of water. The tree also needs spraying.
• Young white willows need to loosen the soil to the depth of the spade bayonet.
• In order for the tree to grow qualitatively, it is necessary to carry out soil mulching with peat, the layer of which should be 5-7 cm.
• For the formation of a decorative crown, vetlets make "haircuts" of long shoots and trimming dead branches.
• If you have noted a weak growth of the plant, it needs feeding. As a fertilizer, nitroammophoska (60-80 g / plant) is best suited.

Diseases and pests of white willow

Silver willow is an unpretentious tree, but this does not mean that it is necessary to neglect the rules of caring for it. In addition, the wind must be protected from diseases and pests, constantly monitor its health.

The most important pests that infect a willow are willow-leaf-worm, flower fly and aphid.

Caterpillars moth gnaw leaves willows and deprive the tree of decorative appeal. The fight against such a pest is to destroy the clutches, larvae and insect moths by hand.

In early spring, willow is amenable to the attacks of a flower fly. To combat this pest, the tree is sprayed with Karbofos, Kinmiks or Decis.

To get rid of aphids, which sucks the vital juices from the plant, I use insecticides, in particular “Fufanon”, “Karbofos”, “Aktellik”, “Akarin”.

The main diseases of white willow are powdery mildew, scab, rust, which lead to necrosis of leaf cells and young shoots. Eliminate such uninvited guests fungicides ("Fundazol", "Raek", "Topsin", "Topaz", "Fundazim").

Spheres of application

Willow is distinguished not only by the diversity of species, but also by the richness of its uses.

Ever since ancient times, its branches were widely used in basket weaving, vervny craft was very popular, which can be traced in our time. Such popularity is due to the excessive flexibility of the verbal branches. From the willow weave baskets, chairs, fences and other items. Fiber for laces, ropes, and burlap are made from the verbal bark. The palm bark is a well-known drug. Tinctures from crushed bark are used to treat colds, fevers, and compresses from such tinctures reduce fever. In addition, a decoction is made from the verbal bark, which effectively cleans and heals wounds, burns, sores and other injuries.

One of the main purposes of willow is to help designers create superb landscape designs.Willow is an indispensable element in the landscaping of city parks, the decoration of summer cottages and gardens. An unrivaled decoration is a willow hedge. At first glance, willow is an inconspicuous plant. We got used to the fact that the tree grows at almost every step and often do not pay attention to its feminine attractiveness and value. But, despite this attitude, willow gives a person not only aesthetic pleasure, but comfort (if it is a material for making furniture) and health, it is a question of the medicinal properties of the vetla.

Given the fact that planting and caring for a tree does not require a lot of work and time, such a plant rightfully occupies the title of the leading decorative ornament of garden and park plots.