Native Plants
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Thursday - May 13, 2010
From: Joplin, MO
Region: Midwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Freeze problems with non-native weeping willow in Joplin, MO
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
My weeping willow had leaves forming and a frost hit and now the tree looks like it is dead. Everything else is in bloom and I don't know if the frost killed my tree or if I need to wait to see if it will form new leaves again. What should I do? It's been approx 5 or 6 weeks since the frost. Thank you for your help.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.
More Non-Natives Questions
Thorns on non-native orange trees
March 04, 2007 - I just moved into a new home that has orange trees in the yard. The tree trunks and limbs are thorny. What kind of oranges are they? How should I care for them? Is it ok to cut off the thorns so t...
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Non-native pothos ivy from Houston
May 30, 2013 - My pothos devils ivy is about 5 years old and grows outside. A couple of years ago its leaves became spectacularly large, like 12" wide and its stalk about 1 - 2" wide. A couple of years ago i gui...
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Problems with non-native fruit trees in Katy TX
May 13, 2010 - I have several species of fruit trees growing. pear, lime, orange, pluot, plum, variegated orange, peach, lemon all planted in ground, some this year and some last year: My lemon (approx 15 gallon) an...
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Trailing perennial plants for High Wycombe, England
April 19, 2008 - Hello Mr Smarty Plants,
I would like to know what trailing plants are also perennial, preferably flowering ones but that also look pretty when not in flower? My kitchen looks out onto a five foot h...
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Getting flowers to grow under non-native globe willow in Salt Lake City
June 12, 2010 - We have a globe willow in our back yard that is about 15 years old and cannot get any flowers to grow under it. Can you recommend what we need to do to treat the soil, and what type of flowers will gr...
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