Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Tuesday - March 30, 2010
From: Inman, SC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Problems with non-native weeping willow in Inman SC
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I planted a weeping willow tree last summer and it thrived wonderfully. This year the buds have came out but it has yet to produce leaves where all the others in this area has. I am wondering maybe if my soil has a fungus and how do you go about checking it?ANSWER:
Thank you for your question. While we would like to answer all questions we receive, Mr. Smarty Plants' expertise is limited to plant species native to North America, their habitats and cultivation. Limited resources require us to decline answering questions that delve into other areas. We hope you understand.
Non-native to the United States, Salix x sepulcralis is a hybrid of a Chinese species (Peking willow) and a European species (white willow), and is said to grow in Zones 5 to 8 in the United States. It is weak-wooded, fast-growing and, therefore, short-lived. It has aggressive roots, can lift sidewalks and interfere with sewer lines, often growing on soil surface, making a problem with mowing. It is susceptible to a number of pests and diseases, and notorious for littering the ground beneath it. You might check out this University of Florida Extension website on Weeping Willows for more information as well as this Q&A from North Dakota State University Extension on weeping willows.The UBC Botanical Garden Forum is also a good source of information on non-native plants.
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