Pussy willow sudden browning - Ask Extension
My friend planted a weeping pussy willow over 6 months ago. It was doing fine until recently when it turned brown and look like it was dying. He asked...
Knowledgebase
Pussy willow sudden browning #877092
Asked July 13, 2024, 1:38 PM EDT
My friend planted a weeping pussy willow over 6 months ago. It was doing fine until recently when it turned brown and look like it was dying. He asked me to come
Look at it. It has some green and pliable branches and it looks like it wants to bud again. Upon inspecting the trunk it looks like a woodpecker or other bark boring bird has attacked this tree. I have a photo of the hole but they are up and down the whole trunk and there’s a pile of sawdust at the base of the tree. Am I correct? Could I put netting around the tree to keep the bird away from it? Is there an insect infestation that attracted the bird?
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
The cracking in the bark indicates that the trunk is suffering severe dieback and parts are likely already dead. Woodpeckers do sometimes attack healthy trees but it is more likely they are searching for insects in dead portions of the plant. While the top is still pliable, it looks like the main portion has died. Trees like this one are typically grafted in a "standard" form, with the weeping portion grafted to the top of the main trunk. I would look for damage near the base or roots of the tree, and around the graft unions. The birds are probably a secondary issue, not the main issue killing the tree. It may still be possible to root some of the pliable cuttings in water, but the tree won't have the same shape.
https://pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=665
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/salix-caprea-kilmarnock
You could prune out the dead branches, net the tree, and hope for the best. I don't believe it will survive but sometimes plants surprise us.
https://pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=665
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/salix-caprea-kilmarnock
You could prune out the dead branches, net the tree, and hope for the best. I don't believe it will survive but sometimes plants surprise us.
