I grew up in the swamps of Southeast Texas and we had an enormous ~60ft tall black willow with a huge spread holding together the bank of the brackish bayou near my home - it's such a wonderful tree that deserves some love!! Thank you for this tree talk video and all the others :)
Thank you for the very informative video. I just purchased five different willow trees, and my favorite, like yours, is the black willow. I have the perfect conditions in my back yard for this willow. I can’t wait until they create a wonderful, tall, and wide privacy border. Excellent video. Thx again
Thanks for the video! I was inspired by your live staking video last year, to put in some willow around the hay field where there are boggy areas and where run off has eroded the slopes. They've taken hold nicely I'm glad to say. Thanks for the help.
these videos are great! I grew up in NJ in a house built in the early 20s. at some point early an owner planted a Black Willow along the back of the yard where there was a small drainage ditch, it was beautiful and tall then suddenly one spring it failed to leaf out and died so it does have a short lifespan. the yard was also planted with peonies, lilacs, forsythia, pyracantha and maples, I've stuck to those plants ever since, not the flashiest newest thing but very carefree easy plants to grow.
Such an interesting tree! Might any of these be the non-native crack willow (Salix fragilis)? They are apparently super common throughout the northeast U.S., as they also thrive under the same disturbance conditions. Fortunately, I haven't come across any sources mentioning any negative effects on wildlife, and black willow appears to have an identical niche within its native range to the crack willow.
I'm living in the high desert of California, US, so they wouldn't have a suitable environment to spread around. I'm buying black willow and only have to think how to keep them alive and growing.
What is the black willow root depth and spread like? I have one in close proximity to my septic field, so I’m trying to understand the risk of it impacting the septic system.
Great question! Black willow roots typically do not grow very deep. The rule of thumb for most trees is that roots generally spread out to the same circumference of the tree's crown. However, black willow is noted to have aggressive roots that spread further and, if in residential settings, can infiltrate pipes to increase water supply. So as much as it pains me to say it, removing the black willow may be a good idea in this case to prevent issues with your septic system. Because black willow is such a phenomenally beneficial tree though, I'd recommend taking a few cuttings to plant elsewhere on your property first. That way you'll be able to keep the important food source for pollinators and songbirds. We actually have a video on how to do this if you're interested: ua-cam.com/video/aH9OV58iezM/v-deo.html. Hope that helps!
This is exactly what I was wondering. They are growing from my septic. It’s so lovely and the pollinators love it. I will transplant some closer to the creek behind my home.
@@forestsforthebay4784we are thinking about doing a live willow fence around our garden in Virginia. Black willow is a native and we have a creek that runs nearby. Will a willow fence consume too much of the nutrients from my garden? Garden is an entire 1.5 acre. Thank you so much for such a wonderful and informational channel
I recently cleared all the trees and brush around a pond on the property I just bought. Something told me to leave these trees alone. They just look like they belong there. Hopefully I won’t regret it if they grow to be huge and then fall into the pond or rip up the bank 😂
I grew up in the swamps of Southeast Texas and we had an enormous ~60ft tall black willow with a huge spread holding together the bank of the brackish bayou near my home - it's such a wonderful tree that deserves some love!! Thank you for this tree talk video and all the others :)
Just found your website! Black willow is one of my favorite trees! Thank you for the good information!
Great videos. In Boston we love the varieties of willows
These and cottonwoods make beautiful wind breaker trees, we have them pop up all over the place in West TN.
Thank you for the very informative video. I just purchased five different willow trees, and my favorite, like yours, is the black willow. I have the perfect conditions in my back yard for this willow. I can’t wait until they create a wonderful, tall, and wide privacy border. Excellent video. Thx again
Thanks for the video! I was inspired by your live staking video last year, to put in some willow around the hay field where there are boggy areas and where run off has eroded the slopes. They've taken hold nicely I'm glad to say. Thanks for the help.
Thanks Mark, keep up the good work!!
these videos are great! I grew up in NJ in a house built in the early 20s. at some point early an owner planted a Black Willow along the back of the yard where there was a small drainage ditch, it was beautiful and tall then suddenly one spring it failed to leaf out and died so it does have a short lifespan. the yard was also planted with peonies, lilacs, forsythia, pyracantha and maples, I've stuck to those plants ever since, not the flashiest newest thing but very carefree easy plants to grow.
I have a Black Willow in my backyard that Js reached over 60 feet. An amazing tree.
I love willow for their fast growth to get up and away from deer
we love it for that reason too!
I just saw a viola in Italy made with European Black Willow. Never seen it before nor had I heard of it. Beautiful figure when book-matched
Sweet, I don’t know I had a free headache cure next to the pond.
This channel rocks!!!👍
Such an interesting tree! Might any of these be the non-native crack willow (Salix fragilis)? They are apparently super common throughout the northeast U.S., as they also thrive under the same disturbance conditions. Fortunately, I haven't come across any sources mentioning any negative effects on wildlife, and black willow appears to have an identical niche within its native range to the crack willow.
FYI, Black Willow is excellent wood to make charcoal for black powder, one of the best for fast, clean burning powder.
Interesting. In Australia we regard them as an invasive species that need uprooting and replacing with native plants.
That is interesting! As they say, "Think globally, plant locally"!
They have invasive traits, anywhere there is a drainage ditch or a lake or pond they seem to pop up everywhere, but they are pretty as a windbreaker
I'm living in the high desert of California, US, so they wouldn't have a suitable environment to spread around. I'm buying black willow and only have to think how to keep them alive and growing.
What is the black willow root depth and spread like? I have one in close proximity to my septic field, so I’m trying to understand the risk of it impacting the septic system.
Great question! Black willow roots typically do not grow very deep. The rule of thumb for most trees is that roots generally spread out to the same circumference of the tree's crown. However, black willow is noted to have aggressive roots that spread further and, if in residential settings, can infiltrate pipes to increase water supply. So as much as it pains me to say it, removing the black willow may be a good idea in this case to prevent issues with your septic system. Because black willow is such a phenomenally beneficial tree though, I'd recommend taking a few cuttings to plant elsewhere on your property first. That way you'll be able to keep the important food source for pollinators and songbirds. We actually have a video on how to do this if you're interested: ua-cam.com/video/aH9OV58iezM/v-deo.html.
Hope that helps!
This is exactly what I was wondering. They are growing from my septic. It’s so lovely and the pollinators love it. I will transplant some closer to the creek behind my home.
@@forestsforthebay4784we are thinking about doing a live willow fence around our garden in Virginia. Black willow is a native and we have a creek that runs nearby. Will a willow fence consume too much of the nutrients from my garden? Garden is an entire 1.5 acre.
Thank you so much for such a wonderful and informational channel
More!
Do the stems have leaf stipules?
I recently cleared all the trees and brush around a pond on the property I just bought. Something told me to leave these trees alone. They just look like they belong there. Hopefully I won’t regret it if they grow to be huge and then fall into the pond or rip up the bank 😂
I think you'll be happy you kept them! :)
are they salt tolerant?
how wind tolerant are they?
Aspirin not ibuprofen
Only 150ish years and what.... 😂