Landscaping And Gardening

Corkscrew WillowProducts Relating to 'Corkscrew Willow'

The Corkscrew Willow Tree, Salix matsudana, 'Tortuosa', is a small to medium-sized, upright spreading deciduous tree that reaches 30-40 feet in height with a 15-20 foot spread on maturity. The Corkscrew Willow Tree is also known as Twisted Willow, Pekin Willow, Hankow Willow and Tortuosa or Dragon's Claw Willow. These names arise from the contorted and twisted branches and twigs of the tree that are also its main ornamental feature. The branches of the Corkscrew Willow Tree arise from the trunk at sharp acute angles and grow up almost parallel to the trunk before they curve back to the horizontal.

The Corkscrew Willow Tree is propagated by cuttings and is tolerant to most kinds of soils both acidic and alkaline. It can be planted in part shade or in full sun. The tree has moderate tolerance for drought and grows well in wet soil with poor drainage. The fast growing tree adds a lot of visual serenity in any garden or landscape and creates a special calming effect when planted near water.

The trunk has a thin bark and grows upright without drooping. The Corkscrew Willow Tree has a tendency to grow with several trunks though it can be trained to grow with just one trunk. The branches require pruning for the tree to develop a strong structure.

The foliage consists of alternately arranged simple leaves. The narrow green leaves turn a flashy yellow in fall. The crown is upright, broad and oval with a moderate foliage density. The flowers and fruits are quite inconspicuous and do not attract any wildlife.

The branch pattern of the Corkscrew Willow Tree is most interesting in winter and mainly accounts for the popularity of the tree. The commonly available form of the Corkscrew Willow Tree is susceptible to breakage due to poor collar formation or inherent weakness of wood as is the case with most other willows. If you are looking for something hardier, there are two hybrid cultivars available:

- Golden Curls is a hybrid of the Corkscrew Willow Tree but is much hardier than the common variety. The new shoots of this hybrid are golden yellow with a green tinge.

- Scarlet Curls is another hybrid of the Corkscrew Willow Tree that is hardier than the common variety but not as hardy as the Golden Curls. The new shoots in this hybrid are reddish in color.

The Corkscrew Willow Tree is prone to pests like the aphids, gypsy moths, leaf beetles, lacebugs and willow borers. In most cases the damage done by these pests is not severe enough to call for control measures. The tree is also susceptible to diseases like canker, crown gall, willow scab. Regular pruning of affected branches and raking and destroying fallen diseased leaves can easily control the damage.

Article Published: Monday 21st May 2007