Arctic blue willow
- Thread starter Arcto
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clevetromba
Shohin
Zac,
Is the willow in your profile picture yours? I've seen that pic before and admire it!
Zac chandanais
Mame
Only in my wildest dreams
it's not mine but I too admire it. This is the tree that made me go crazy for willows as Bosnia. Mine is just a big willow "bush" right now. Hopefully it will take well to pruning in the winter. We shall see. Fingers crossed.
Chicago_Willows
Seedling
Thanks Zac for passing on the great info on willows. I'm loving how this ones trunk is developing. And the fresh shoots are a great shade of red. I've done a lot of work in the garden and will post more pics later, but this one was my fav.
BillyBonesBonsai
Shohin
It's certainly a different looking tree
wireme
Masterpiece
Glad it made it for you, looks like potential for something really interesting there.
This is as far as I got with my tiny one, another growth period would have been nice but most of my decids are bare of leaf now. Once I get the form I'm after I plan on hanging it upside down till it weeps, should be fun.
This is as far as I got with my tiny one, another growth period would have been nice but most of my decids are bare of leaf now. Once I get the form I'm after I plan on hanging it upside down till it weeps, should be fun.
wireme
Masterpiece
Dunno, mine must be more arctic than yours! Frosted at least 10 times, soil frozen twice now.Nice Wireme, but no frost nip. Has it gone tropical there?
wireme
Masterpiece
Oh yeah, they've got to be tough! Actually it's been an odd season for fall colour, a few trees had nice colour, some had leaves just turn brown and fall off suddenly and this one I think is the last to remain green.
Chicago_Willows
Seedling
Lost some cuttings over the winter but here is one that was in the ground for 2 winters and I dug it up and put in a training pot, waited for it to recover and send some leaves out and then went to town with some wire. I like the soft rubber coated wire for these willows as it has plenty of give for bending in high winds, yet stiff enough to change direction on the smaller branches. I used heavier wire and some tree wrap tape on the bigger/thicker bends. I was originally going to do a trunk chop on this one but thought I'd give some extreme bending a try and I'm digging it. I do have some that have been chopped much shorter and will post those later. I think this one will fill in nicely and I am looking forward to see how it grows into its new form.
I think taking cuttings in the heat of August was a bad idea but I wanted to see just how tough this species is and pushed it a bit. From now on I will try to have any cuttings more established and also put them in the ground instead of rooting in water and putting in trainer pots. They really respond so much stronger in spring when in the ground.
I think taking cuttings in the heat of August was a bad idea but I wanted to see just how tough this species is and pushed it a bit. From now on I will try to have any cuttings more established and also put them in the ground instead of rooting in water and putting in trainer pots. They really respond so much stronger in spring when in the ground.
RKatzin
Omono
I have a couple of willow, actually there's a few dozen trees of a couple varieties.
There's a lot of name confusion as there are many willows with blue and arctic as part of the name.
Salix purpura is a purple willow, Salix purpura Nana is the dwarf purple willow, and Salix polaris nana is the dwarf arctic willow. I also have, and I think this may be the better bonsai candidate, a Salix purpura pendula, which is the weeping purple willow.
The purpura and the pendula have leaves about 2" long, but the nana is only about an inch. The stems are purple and the leaves are bluish. The stems are popular with basket weaver's as they make beautiful purple baskets with a very tight weave.
The polaris is quite different in looks and growth. The leaf is more ovate in shape and they are short and spreading type of tree. They make beautiful tiny pussy willows in spring with a bluish tint.
All these are diminutive in size and big trunks are hard to find. To get the trunks to beef up I take them to the gym once a week. No, actually those prolific basal suckers are what does the trick. I let them grow out till you can barely see the tree in there. Then I clean them all off, but leave the swelling at the base. You can do this two or three times in a good season. After a few seasons you will have a 2-3" trunk.
There's a lot of name confusion as there are many willows with blue and arctic as part of the name.
Salix purpura is a purple willow, Salix purpura Nana is the dwarf purple willow, and Salix polaris nana is the dwarf arctic willow. I also have, and I think this may be the better bonsai candidate, a Salix purpura pendula, which is the weeping purple willow.
The purpura and the pendula have leaves about 2" long, but the nana is only about an inch. The stems are purple and the leaves are bluish. The stems are popular with basket weaver's as they make beautiful purple baskets with a very tight weave.
The polaris is quite different in looks and growth. The leaf is more ovate in shape and they are short and spreading type of tree. They make beautiful tiny pussy willows in spring with a bluish tint.
All these are diminutive in size and big trunks are hard to find. To get the trunks to beef up I take them to the gym once a week. No, actually those prolific basal suckers are what does the trick. I let them grow out till you can barely see the tree in there. Then I clean them all off, but leave the swelling at the base. You can do this two or three times in a good season. After a few seasons you will have a 2-3" trunk.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Good Advise on most any Willow
Although I said I would probably not play with Willow anymore I picked up a Salix udensis 'Golden Sunshine' twin trunk cutting last month. I am growing it in basically my Nursery mix and water. It has grown out a lot in one month from 24 inches to 33 inches tall and the base has put on a 1/4 inch even though it only has 2 basal shoots. The only thing I do different then what I have read here is I prune and trim them in early Spring, March here. It is being moved out my Wife's garden area next week as it is already taking up to much space there
Grimmy
aml1014
Masterpiece
Ssshhhh don't tell anyone but I'm going willow branch robbing this weekendGood Advise on most any Willow
Although I said I would probably not play with Willow anymore I picked up a Salix udensis 'Golden Sunshine' twin trunk cutting last month. I am growing it in basically my Nursery mix and water. It has grown out a lot in one month from 24 inches to 33 inches tall and the base has put on a 1/4 inch even though it only has 2 basal shoots. The only thing I do different then what I have read here is I prune and trim them in early Spring, March here. It is being moved out my Wife's garden area next week as it is already taking up to much space there
View attachment 108491
Grimmy
lol hope I find some interesting ones.Aaron
wireme
Masterpiece
This was the spring treatment of my little one this year. 
wireme
Masterpiece
And just now. Will probably give it a second prune this weekend.
I actually left the wrong bit long as a sacrifice this spring, meant to leave the upper branch behind long. Whoops, pruned too fast. No big deal.
I actually left the wrong bit long as a sacrifice this spring, meant to leave the upper branch behind long. Whoops, pruned too fast. No big deal.
RKatzin
Omono
Here's a pic of one of my Dwarf Purple Willow, Salix purpura Nana. this is a Dwarf Arctic Willow, Salix Polaris Nana. these wispy cuttings are Purple Weeping Willow, Salix purpura pendular.I had to leave all of my big stock behind in the big move, but of all the stock the willows were the easiest to replace, so I got cutting of all for a fresh start.
Hey guys,
Here are some pics of an arctic blue willow i got last year. It had a big trunk but was badly rootbound. I chopped it to a stump and it budded back like crazy. I don't have a pick before the first styling but it had around 50 to 60 branches. I want to try for a weeping style but i don't think it will let me lol.
Here are some pics of an arctic blue willow i got last year. It had a big trunk but was badly rootbound. I chopped it to a stump and it budded back like crazy. I don't have a pick before the first styling but it had around 50 to 60 branches. I want to try for a weeping style but i don't think it will let me lol.
Attachments
wireme
Masterpiece
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Good score finding a nice trunk like that! I like these arctic willows, pretty good species as far a willows go I'm starting to think.
I'm currently convincing my wee one to weep too, maybe you want to try this too. Join the unorthodox weirdo styling club with me! About a week and the twigs should be dropping, temporarily but.,,
Good score finding a nice trunk like that! I like these arctic willows, pretty good species as far a willows go I'm starting to think.
I'm currently convincing my wee one to weep too, maybe you want to try this too. Join the unorthodox weirdo styling club with me! About a week and the twigs should be dropping, temporarily but.,,
