Salix Hakura Nishiki

I would like to know the differance between the Salix Hakura Nishiki and a Salix Hakura Nishiki "Top Graft"?

The one that I have is the first one not the Top Graft. Is this a tree or a bursh? How do you care for it? Do you cut it back at any time? How big do they geCan you have them as a one stem, mine has about 4 to 5 stems. I don't know to much about the care of this.

The top graft version is just the same plant grafted onto a standard to turn it into a 'lollipop'.
I grew it (as a regular shrub) a few years ago - it grew rambunctiously.
I used to cut it all the way to the ground in late winter, as the new foliage is the most brightly variegated.
But it eventually got shaded out and died.
I didn't bother to replace it, as I didn't think it was particularly spectacular.

This message was edited Nov 22, 2011 5:25 AM

What you are telling me is that it will get color? Flowers or what? How big did it get?

The 'Dappled Willow' aka 'Hakura Nishiki' is a thug in most gardens. It can grow up to 12' in a single season! I took mine out years ago as it wasn't worth the annual cutback just for a few weeks of nice coloring in the spring. On top of that, it's a magnet for Japanese beetles. It can be treated with a systemic yearly, but it still outgrows most locations.

I will have to see it next year and most likely kill it if the Japanese beetles come. I have get read of them and don't need them back.

It has typical willow catkins in spring, but they're not particularly showy.
It's the foliage which is brightly variegated and can be attractive,
particularly the new foliage emerging in spring.
I don't recall trouble w/ japanese beetles, but may not have been paying attention.

I grew it a couple of years. Very unimpressed. For some reason it just died and I have no intentions of replacing it.

with all said about Salix Hakura Nishiki what would you put in it's place?

Dogwood, Sourwood, Carolina Buckthorn, Japanese Maple, etc. Also some of the redbud cultivars have interesting foliage.

Also sambucus 'Black Lace'. Some of the better dogwoods for multi-season color are Cornus alba 'Gouchaultii' & Cornus alba 'Aurea'.

Really don'y want something that will get more than 6 or 7 foot tall.

Mine is HUGE and they said only to 5' HA!

flowAgen, Wow! That's gorgeous. That's what I hoped mine would do. After seeing your pic I might try again. Thanks.

I need to prune it I'd like it to be a more standard form

I wish mine had done that. It just sort of sat there for a couple years, like killdawabbit's, then, died.

I wouldn't touch it unless it started looking bad. It's perfect from my viewpoint. :-)

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