Iva hakuro nishiki planting and care in the open field

Willow is a harbinger of spring. Its blossoming silver inflorescences are the first to delight the eye after dark winter days. Due to its unpretentious disposition, rapid growth and species diversity, willow is gaining more and more popularity in garden design. The whole-leaved willow of the Hakuro Nishiki variety is especially loved among landscape designers. Its proper fit and optimal care will be discussed in this article.

Description of the variety

The willow variety Hakuro Nishiki (pictured) is notable for its variegated foliage and the ability to quickly form a spherical crown. Shoots are purple or olive green, very flexible. Young leaves, when blooming in spring, are painted in a gentle green color, subsequently the top of the shoots acquires strokes and spots of a beautiful bright pinkish-white shade, due to which the variety is often used in decorative floriculture.

Unusual and bright - Hakuro Nishiki's willow will harmoniously fit into any landscape design

In hot weather, brightly colored leaves turn slightly pale. Older leaves, as a rule, are monochromatic or with small rare strokes of a contrasting shade. Earrings are laid only by the third year on last year's shoots. The flowering shrub gives off a pleasant aroma. Under favorable wintering conditions, the willow of this variety is capable of reaching 3 m in height and 3 m in diameter. In the middle lane, these parameters are two times less.

Landing in open ground

Like all other varieties of whole-leaved willow, the shrubs of the Hakuro Nishiki variety are quite moisture-loving, they grow better in sunny open areas or in partial shade, where at least part of the day there is sun. In the shade, the shrub will not please you with a bright pink top, the leaves will be pale and monochromatic, and the shoots will be too elongated.

Iva Hakuro Nishiki is a very unpretentious plant

Usually, planting is carried out in the spring in April or May. The planting pit should not be small (average size 60 x 60), prepare it in advance, lay organic matter (humus or compost), make drainage from sand or crushed stone with a layer of 20-30 cm. Too heavy clay soil is diluted with peat or sand. When planting, you should take into account the future dimensions of the willow, remember that it can grow up to 3 m in diameter. For group plantings, make the distance between the bushes at least 1-2 m. Over the next 3 weeks, the seedling should be watered very abundantly. To protect it from drying out, it is useful to mulch the trunk circle with dry grass.

Attention! When buying a willow seedling Hakuro Nishiki from the seller, be sure to specify in what conditions it was grown and whether it was hardened. Purchase seedlings with a large clod of earth and only those that have already grown in the open ground of your climatic zone.

Care and proper wintering

Willow varieties Hakuro Nishiki are undemanding in care. To maintain a decorative look, you will need:

• additional regular watering during dry periods. With a lack of moisture, the leaves curl and fall off, the brightly colored top fades, as a result the shrub loses its decorative effect;
• correct pruning. In late fall or winter, remove any diseased, broken, or unnecessary shoots. In early spring, a formative haircut will be useful, which stimulates the active growth of new shoots.

Willow seedlings

• sufficient feeding. Top dressing of shrubs is carried out in spring, summer and early autumn. Good results are obtained with long-acting granular fertilizer for garden shrubs. In the summer, to maintain a decorative look, foliar feeding of the leaf mass will additionally be required.

Hakuro Nishiki's adult willow bush forms are quite resistant to changes in winter temperatures. But sometimes in frosty, snowless winters, shoots freeze slightly, but without harm to the plant itself. All dead branches are cut in the spring. The most vulnerable to freezing is the place of vaccination on a standard tree. It is recommended to carefully protect it from frost by tying it with agrofibre or lutrasil for the winter.

Willow propagation

You can propagate the Hakuro Nishiki variety in the spring by grafting or grafting non-varietal willow on a bole.

Important! The grafted standard forms of the Hakuro Nishiki whole-leaved willow are less frost-resistant than well-formed bushes of this variety.

To obtain a bush form, a simpler method is used - cuttings. Cuttings are harvested in early spring before the young leaves bloom, the cut is dried and planted immediately in the ground or placed in boiled water. Cuttings take root pretty quickly. A seedling blooms 3-4 years after rooting.

Willow reproduces well by cuttings

Pests and diseases

Hakuro Nishiki is resistant to many known diseases and pests of willows. For the prevention of fungal infections, it is recommended to treat the shrub crowns twice with any systemic fungicide in the spring. For young specimens, the larvae of the beetle are most terrible, which can gnaw 20-30 cm of the root system of the plant per day. Therefore, in mid-April, for preventive purposes, treat the willow seedling with any preparation containing imidacloprid. It is recommended to repeat the treatment after 40-50 days.

Application in landscape design

Sprawling willow bushes or small standard trees of the Hakuro Nishiki variety look especially beautiful in single plantings surrounded by an emerald lawn. It is often used for landscaping coastal areas of artificial reservoirs, city parks and squares. In group plantings, it perfectly sets off plants with dark green foliage. If you regularly remove all thick shoots, making room for the active growth of young branches, then the standard tree will take on the appearance of a large dandelion.

How to properly trim willow: video

Iwa Hakuro Nishiki: photo

The Japanese beauty is the pearl of any home or suburban area. It pleases the eye with its unusual, original color with a crown from May to the period of leaf fall. During flowering, it exudes a delicate pleasant aroma. If properly planted and cared for, Hakuro Nishiki's willow tree will look attractive for years to come.

Description of the variety

A fast-growing shrub of the willow family, which, under optimal conditions, reaches 3 m in height and 2.5 m in diameter. The leaf is narrow, up to 7 cm long. After blooming, a salad color appears, which eventually acquires blotches of white and pink. With age, the leaves lose their uniqueness, become monochromatic.

The willow variety Hakuro Nishiki has branches that are shiny with yellowish or reddish tints, and have the same length. Earrings are slightly curved, thin, formed in the third year.

To decorate the crown, preserve the unusual color of the foliage, annual pruning of shoots is recommended. In addition to bushes, willow grows in the form of a tree, if grafted on a trunk. The spherical crown on a thin trunk looks very elegant.

Due to its resistance to frost, it has a wide distribution area in ornamental gardening. In the wild, it is found on the coastlines and wet meadows of the Japanese islands, Korea and the Primorsky Territory of the Far Eastern Federal District.

Landing in open ground

Despite the fact that the plant does not require special care, planting should be done according to all the rules, since it determines the further growth and development of the culture.

Planting material is of great importance. It should be purchased in trusted, trustworthy places. These include nurseries, specialized horticultural farms.

Preference should be given to seedlings with a closed root system. In order for the plant not to experience a stressful situation, to take root and develop well, it is necessary to buy seedlings grown in the area where it is planned to plant.
Observing the natural conditions for the growth of culture, you can draw conclusions, create suitable conditions in your garden area.

Site and soil preparation

The Japanese willow loves sunlight. In an open place, the bush will attract the eyes of others throughout the summer. Partial shade is allowed, but no more than half daylight hours. Lack of sun leads to loss of variegated foliage. In addition to the fact that it will acquire the usual green color, it will still be faded. The branches will stretch upwards and, accordingly, there will be difficulties with the formation of the crown.

A big plus is the presence of a natural or artificial reservoir on the site. The plant loves moist soil, planting on the shoreline is the best option.

If the soil is not suitable for the willow, it may shed the foliage prematurely. Therefore, it is necessary to plant in slightly acidic, non-heavy, fertile soils.

Since the willow has a superficial root system, it is possible to use clay soil with the addition of peat, coarse river sand and forest humus. The sandy soil is diluted with sod soil, dolomite flour is introduced into the acidic soil to a depth of 20 cm, and the top is filled with water. The culture does not tolerate an excess of lime, so it should not be used at all or in moderation.

How and when to plant

The timing of planting seedlings depends on the vegetation of the buds. It is better to do this before they appear - in April or May. It is advisable to dig a hole the day before so that the earth settles. It should be wider than the volume of the roots and deep enough to lay drainage from sand, gravel or crushed stone to the bottom, at least 20 cm high.

If several plants are planted at once, then the distance between the seedlings is no less than the volume of the crown of an adult bush.

To stimulate growth, it is advisable to soak the roots in water with the addition of honey or mullein before planting. The soaking procedure is mandatory for seedlings that were purchased with an open root system.

There is no need to bury the seedling; the root collar should be 2–5 cm above the ground.

After planting, the soil is compacted, watered abundantly, mulched. Any available means (peat, sawdust, gravel) can act as mulch. If the willow is on the trunk, it is useful to make a periosteal fossa to retain moisture.

Whole-leaved willow Hakuro Nishiki: care

To grow a full-fledged ornamental shrub or tree on a trunk, you need to make some effort. This is especially true of the first year after planting, when rooting takes place, adaptation to a new environment.

Watering schedule

Drying of the soil under the crop is unacceptable, this will lead to coagulation of leaves, fading of color. Particular attention should be paid to moisture within a month after disembarkation and in summer at high temperatures. The first years, when the culture is actively growing, they water two buckets of warm, settled water twice a week. In addition to watering, it is recommended to spray the crown with airborne droplets in the morning or evening to prevent sunburn.
It is very important to avoid excess moisture in order not to create conditions for fungal diseases.

Fertilization and feeding

Organic and mineral fertilizing will help to emphasize the unique properties of the plant. Fertilizers are applied depending on the type of soil before planting when digging. Humus is added to sandy soils, clay is diluted with peat. For 1 sq. m. sod-podzolic soil requires 80–90 g of complex mineral fertilizers and 5 kg of compost.

Organic matter is applied no more often than 1 time in 3 years, mineral fertilizers every spring and autumn.

Nitrogen promotes plant growth. In the spring, before the buds swell, shoots can be stimulated by spraying with a urea solution.

In autumn, fertilizers with phosphorus and potassium are used. They promote kidney formation next year. Convenient for use in the form of fertilizers in the form of granules and powder. The first ones have a prolonged effect, the second ones can be scattered over the volume of the trunk circle and watered.

How to cut willow

In early spring, before the beginning of the growing season, they form a compact crown. Shoots are cut, leaving at least 4 buds, while the latter should grow from the upper side of the branch. A haircut stimulates the rapid growth of new shoots, and subsequently a beautiful, unusual color of foliage.

To maintain the shape of the ball with further pruning, new shoots are left longer than last year by 1 or 2 buds, depending on the volume of the desired crown. The stem growth is removed.

In summer, haircuts are done twice - in June and August. Last time in autumn for sanitary and preventive purposes.

Transplant nuances

You can transplant a plant quickly and painlessly. In order for the willow to quickly take root in a new place and not die, the following rules must be observed:

• pre-thin out the crown;
• make a transplant in the cool morning or evening hours in spring or autumn;
• dig in to get a root ball;
• when landing, do not allow compression or curvature of the roots;
• create a favorable water regime;
• mulch the periosteal circle.

Gardeners transplant willow from spring to autumn, but still the optimal time is April, when the buds on the plant have not yet appeared.

You need to dig in the willow carefully so as not to damage the roots. If it was not possible to dig out the culture together with the earthen clod, then each root must be straightened and evenly distributed in the soil. The best plant age for transplanting is 3-4 years.

Preparing for winter

In the autumn, after the willow leaves the foliage, sanitary pruning is done, diseased or damaged shoots are removed, and the earth is dug up.

The shrub willow is more resistant to frost than the standard willow. The junction of the scion with the stock and the crown itself suffers from the cold. To prevent freezing, the culture is insulated with a covering material, such as lutrasil, spunbond, agrofibre. Burlap is also suitable for these purposes.

Willow breeding Hakuro Nishiki

In the spring, before the start of the growing season, cuttings are cut from two-year-old branches and older. Planting material should be 20-30 cm long, have at least 5 buds. If necessary, cuttings are prepared in the fall, after the foliage has been dropped. In this case, they are stored in the basement, previously packed in a bag or placed in a basin with wet sand.

You can plant a crop immediately in the ground, leaving at least 2 buds above the ground, but for better rooting of the cuttings, they are placed in a container of water for two weeks. When the roots grow, they are transplanted into small-volume pots or to a permanent place.

A stalk can also be grafted onto a stem. For this, a plant of the same genus, but stronger and more hardy, is chosen as a rootstock. In April, the top of the prepared stem is cut off and a split is made, into which a cutting with an oblique cut is inserted. The trunk must be overtightened with any strapping material, grease the grafting site with garden varnish. Usually, a ready-made stem is planted on the site, but if you wish, you can try to vaccinate yourself. The scion grows in 3 weeks.

How to get rid of pests and diseases

Iwa Hakuro Nishiki is no exception to the rule.Just like other garden shrubs, it gets sick and is exposed to the invasion of harmful insects. It is easier to prevent than to cure, therefore, first of all, preventive measures are applied, expressed in the following measures:

• compliance with agricultural practices;
• sanitary pruning;
• cleaning the garden in the fall;
• whitewashing of the trunk;
• weeding and loosening of the soil of the near-stem circle.

Stagnation of water in the root system, overcrowding of plants, excess nitrogen fertilizers lead to the growth of harmful fungi and the reproduction of insect larvae.

Prevention will help to avoid the disease:

• bark necrosis;
• rust;
• powdery mildew;
• willow scab.

A willow tree affected by necrosis has a 90 percent chance of dying. The rest of the diseases are fungal. For prevention and treatment, every spring and autumn, the plant is treated with fungicides.

Insects that harm the Japanese willow include:

• aphid;
• birch fly;
• crunchy;
• willow leaf beetle;
• spider mite.

Insect control consists in treating the plant with natural or chemical insecticides, soap and kerosene solution. Dusting the crown with pepper, mustard, chopped tobacco leaves will help.

Use in landscape design

Willow is used to decorate the garden not only in private backyards, but also to decorate the forest park area, squares. The culture planted on the shore of the reservoir not only harmoniously fits into the environment, but also protects the shore from erosion.

Group plantings are used as an original hedge. Single specimens look good in any corner of the garden or park. Willow is planted near the resting places of the townspeople. The plant contrasts with other crops in color, and the possibility of crown formation is used to give the landscape zone original forms. Iva Hakuro Nishiki stands out for the bright color of the branches even in winter.

Iwa Hakuro Nishiki is radically different from the usual wild-growing weeping relative, but belongs to the same family. It is a short perennial shrub with upward branches. Many designers prefer this variety because of its relative unpretentiousness and the ability to form an unusual crown on the tree. In addition, the willow leaves of Hakuro Nishiki are colored not only green, but also in other colors and shades.

Hakuro Nishiki is native to Japan, but can grow in temperate climates.

Description and features of the variety

The bushes are rounded. An adult plant can reach 2-3 meters in height and the same in diameter. For comparison, a weeping willow grows up to 25 m. The branches are vertical, but as the willow grows, they disintegrate in the form of a fan or a fountain, forming a ball.

The bark of Hakuro Nishiki's whole-leaved willow is colored gray-green, and over time it turns gray. Shoots are brown with a red tint. The leaves are oblong in shape, painted in a pale pink color. Over time, they acquire a light green hue, turn yellow and fall off in the fall.

Planting and care rules

Even a novice gardener can handle planting and caring for Hakuro Nishiki's willow. This is a rather unpretentious variety that can be transplanted at a mature age. The main thing is to choose the right place for planting young bushes, and they will feel good and grow quickly. In addition, it is necessary to prune Hakuro Nishiki's willow in order to form the correct crown of a rounded shape.

For growing at home, you can buy ready-made bushes.

Preparation of seedlings and planting them in open ground

Willow is native to Japan, but it has adapted well to a temperate climate with temperature fluctuations in winter and summer. Like other willow varieties, this variety prefers moist soil. The optimal place for planting seedlings is the banks of natural or artificial reservoirs. Otherwise, it is necessary to constantly monitor the level of soil moisture and prevent the bushes from drying out.

Hakuro Nishiki's willow propagation occurs in two ways:

• cuttings - they are harvested in early spring, after which they can immediately be planted in open ground;
• grafting on other trees is the main technology for creating Hakuro Nishiki's willow on a trunk.

The main way to propagate willow at home is by cuttings. Cuttings are branches that are taken from mature shrubs in early spring. The most important thing is to have time to get them before the beginning of the growing season, so as not to harm the mother plant. Cuttings do not need preliminary preparation: it is enough to lightly dry the cut site and lower it into the soil. During the warm period, the seedling will take root and begin to grow. The bushes begin to bloom approximately in the third year of life.

Some experts keep cuttings in hot water for several hours - this way they grow faster, and in the first year they can add up to 90 cm.

Planting and caring for Hakuro Nishiki's whole-leaved willow is possible at home. Another way to get unusual trees is by stamping. A trunk is a tree with a strong, even trunk, on the top of which a Japanese willow is grafted. Most often, goat willow is used for this purpose, which has a tree-like straight trunk.

Tree care

Planting and caring for Hakuro Nishiki's Japanese willow does not take long. It grows well without additional fertilization and daily watering, if you choose the right place for planting bushes. There are some rules that will help a willow grow tall and healthy:

• the plant tolerates stagnant moisture better than drying out the soil, so it should be watered constantly;
• for planting, it is better to choose a place with a high level of groundwater;
• for feeding, you can use organic fertilizers - compost or humus;
• for the prevention of fungal diseases, the leaves are sprayed with fungicidal agents:
• it is better to take seedlings from bushes in the region in which they are planned to be planted - this way they quickly adapt to climatic conditions.

The willow variety Hakuro Nishiki, like other members of the willow family, prefers well-lit areas. It can also grow in partially darkened places if bright sunlight falls on them during the day. It grows slowly in the dark, and its leaves seem weak. Willow is unpretentious to the type of soil. However, if it is planted on clay soil, sand or peat should be added to it for better moisture conductivity.

Japanese willow is resistant to temperature extremes and tolerates winter frosts. If the frost is strong, some shoots may freeze slightly, but this does not harm the entire bush. Such branches simply need to be cut during the first spring haircut.

Only standard trees are sensitive to frost, namely the place of grafting of Hakuro Nishiki to another variety. This site for the winter is wrapped with special materials - agrofibre or lutarsil.

Crown pruning

Since this willow variety is a shrub with long, even branches, their growth can be adjusted. With proper and timely pruning, the plant looks thick and lush. This process also has its own characteristics:

• the first formative pruning is carried out in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season;
• do not be afraid to cut off excess shoots - the bush quickly regains its shape due to the growth of new ones;
• in the first year, no more than 4-6 buds are left, each year adding 1 bud to this length;
• at the end of autumn, the last haircut is carried out, for which dry or diseased branches are cut.

As a result of competent work with the shape of the crown, the willow becomes like a ball. If it grows on a trunk, the tree resembles a huge dandelion. It is also necessary to cut off excess shoots along the trunk of the standard tree.

Japanese willow in landscape design

Photo of willow Hakuro Nishiki in landscape design - these are neat low plants with a rounded crown.These bushes are bred specifically for decorative purposes, they are planted in the yard of the house, as well as in parks and recreation areas. They can be planted alone or in combination with other plants. Standard Japanese willows are in great demand.

There are several decorative uses for Hakuro Nishiki:

• several bushes planted in a row form an unusual hedge;
• single bushes or standard trees are best planted against the background of green mass, so they will stand out favorably;
• willow looks good and grows quickly around small artificial ponds;
• it is often planted along with another member of the willow family - the Matsudan willow.

Since this plant immediately catches the eye due to its unusual shade, it will look harmonious in any garden. In addition, even in winter, it will be distinguished by red shoots. The main rule is to choose well-refreshed areas as a landing site. Japanese willow will not grow healthy near tall trees with a wide crown, as they will block it from the sun's rays.

In the photo, Hakuro Nishiki's willow looks like a spherical bush in different shades of pink, green and gray. The main purpose of its breeding is landscape design, decoration of gardens, parks and recreation areas. She is quite unpretentious - despite the fact that her homeland is Japan, she is adapted to live in a temperate climate and tolerates frost well. It will grow especially quickly if the soil under it is constantly moist. Even a novice gardener can cope with the cultivation of this willow variety - it is very easy to care for it and form a crown.

Formation of the crown of Hakuro Nishiki - video

Planting a willow hakuro nishiki is a topical issue today, as it is a very beautiful Japanese plant. It has excellent decorative qualities - a spherical shape and an unusually beautiful color. When the leaves have just blossomed, their color is light green, later the tips of the shoots become purple in color, and the leaves are white-pink.

Despite the fact that this willow variety comes from Japan, it has acclimatized well in central Russia and is loved by both amateur gardeners and professionals. This plant will noticeably stand out from others and delight your eye with its beautiful delicate appearance. If you decide to plant it, then you need to know and take into account some rules.

Hakuro nishiki willow planting rules

The whole-leafed willow hakuro nishiki prefers moist and loose soils, therefore, an excellent place to plant is the shore of a reservoir or lowland, where moisture is abundant. On heavy soils, the shrub will suffer and develop poorly. Therefore, when planting a willow in such a soil, it is necessary to make a good drainage bedding in a planting pit, using sand or crushed stone, 20 to 30 centimeters thick, pour peat, leafy soil, sand into the pit and mix everything with turf soil. The landing site should be closed from the through wind. This willow variety grows best in areas illuminated by sunlight, or in partial shade, where the sun shines at least half the day. With a lack of sunlight, the plant will not have such a beautiful color, it will grow without a bright pink top and with pale leaves.

The ideal time to plant this willow variety is April or May. The roots must first be soaked in water (three to six hours). The pit for planting should be rather big (on average 60x60 cm). You need to prepare it in advance. It must be borne in mind that the shrub can grow up to 3 meters in diameter. When planting in groups, the distance between adult plants should not be less than one meter.

During the first weeks after planting, it is imperative to water the seedling abundantly. To protect against drying out, the ground around the trunk can be covered with dry grass.

Hakuro nishiki willow care

Willow of this variety is unpretentious in care.But in order to maintain a decorative look, you will need to carry out some procedures.

• Regular watering during dry times.

Japanese willow will tolerate waterlogging better than drought, so watering should be quite abundant, especially when rooting occurs. If the plant does not have enough moisture, the leaves begin to curl and gradually fall off, the brightly colored top becomes dull, as a result, the shrub loses its decorative effect.

• Correct pruning.

In early spring, a sanitary cut is useful, which involves the removal of weak shoots that have not survived the winter, as well as a shaping cut, which stimulates the rapid growth of young shoots - they give the most beautiful foliage and color to the plant. Also, during the summer season, a decorative haircut is needed that maintains the round shape of the crown, and the removal of excess processes along the trunk. In late autumn or winter, all broken, diseased and unnecessary shoots are cut off. During the year, it is necessary to do maintenance pruning only for standard trees.

• Sufficient feeding.

For feeding, it is necessary to use organic matter together with a complex mineral fertilizer for digging a trunk circle. For one shrub, a bucket of organic fertilizer and 30-40 g of mineral fertilizer. This feeding is enough once in spring and autumn. Long-lasting granular fertilizer for garden shrubs will give excellent results. In the summer, to maintain a decorative appearance, foliar feeding of the leaf mass is additionally needed.

• Regular loosening and mulching of the soil.

In late autumn, you need to remove excess grass and cover the plant, since in terms of frost resistance, the hakuro nishiki willow is inferior to other varieties. For covering, you can use any non-woven material, except polyethylene. If the tree is not covered, it will become a stunted shrub because most branches above the snow level will freeze. The most vulnerable to freezing is the grafting site on the standard tree. It is it that needs to be well protected from frost, covering it with agrofibre or lutrasil for the winter.

Diseases and pests

Hakuro nishiki is resistant to most diseases and pests dangerous to willows. As a prophylaxis against fungal infections, it is necessary to treat the plant crown with any systemic fungicide twice in the spring. For young seedlings, the larvae of the beetle are especially dangerous, which in one day are able to gnaw 20-30 centimeters of the root system of the bush. Therefore, in mid-April, for prophylaxis, it is necessary to treat willow with any drug that contains imidacloprid. Re-treatment must be carried out 40-50 days after the first.

Combination of willow haruko nishiki and willow matsudana in landscape design

In terms of the place and conditions of planting and the subtleties of care, the hakuro nishiki willow is similar to the matsudan willow, which also loves moist and fertile soils, a sunny place, ideally near water bodies. Iva matsudana is also afraid of frost and requires the same protection from it. Since both trees are unusual in appearance and similar in planting and care principles, they will get along well side by side and complement each other. Matsudana willow can be tall, undersized and even dwarf, and thanks to its bizarre shape, it will adorn any corner of your garden. These shrubs will look great when used for landscaping the shores of artificially created reservoirs. Willow hakuro nishiki will perfectly set off the rich green of the matsudan willow.

Providing simple care for the hakuro nishiki willow and provided it is properly planted, it is possible to get a wonderful landscape design in your garden thanks to the use of this beautiful plant.