Should I cut back a newly planted corkscrew willow?

I just planted a corkscrew willow that I bought off EBay. It's one long branch that's about 7 ft tall, but I'm not sure if I should cut it back or not. I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but the tree goes straight up for about 4 feet and then starts to curve. I would like the tree to be somewhat symmetrical and I'm concerned that if I don't do anything it will continue to grow to one side. I like the fact that it's already 7 ft though and would like to keep the lateral branches high enough to be able to walk or sit under.

Another view from a different angle.

...and here is what it would look like if I cut it back.

I'd be interested to know what anyone comes up with on this, I planted a corkscrew a few years back maybe like 5 yrs. I started it from a cutting and it seems to lean a little but it started out this way. Doesn't lean a lot anymore. Mine is about ten foot now.

Hey LeBug. Do you have a picture of your tree?

No camera sorry...one of these days lol

I would be curious if others feel the tree should be staked to support it ? jim

It's actually better not to stake trees unless you really have to. This tree doesn't strike me as needing to be staked, usually the ones that do need it are the ones that have a lot of top growth and are sort of top-heavy because of it, but since this one's so little and skinny I don't think it needs it.

Me either I think it would do great if you didnt....

I didn't stake mine and we have a lot of strong winds on a hill.

I was wondering about staking it just so it would grow more upright. On a TV program I heard that it's not a good idea to stake a tree, if it can be helped, so the trunk can become strong and sturdy and not have to rely on additional support. For that reason I decided against it.

At this point it reminds me of Charlie brown's Christmas tree. Poor thing.

That's funny kcbronc, I though the same thing about my 'Charlie Brown willow' lol But he's starting to look like a nice tree now! Everything will be alright just leave it up to mother nature :)

Don't cut it back. It will be alright. We planted our Corkscrew 12 years ago and it's about 20' tall now. I did start out with a bigger tree. I love it, but they are messy, always dropping little branches. Around February, (in zone 5) I cut some branches off along with Forsythia and Dogwood, and put them in water in a vase. The Forsythia will bloom in a few weeks and the little Corkscrew branches will leaf out and get roots. It brings a little Spring into the house and you can plant the trees later if you like.

I agree with pastime, I've had mine several years and rec'd the twiggy bent starts and worried over what to do, I decided NOT to do anything with it and it's huge now, not bent at all and has really branched out nicely, also I do the same thing, cut off the lower branches otherwise I get whacked when I try to mow under the tree now, and those do go into water and I move them out on my property later when they have rooted, they root soo quickly that you'll soon have a ton of them if you want them, or share with neighbors or friends :)
Here is a link to mine - my original photos are burnt onto cd's now and not on computer
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/103795/
it's now around 5 years old and pushes probably 15 feet tall or more, the part that I braided (when the lateral branches started coming on) is now up at about 5-6 foot level, so I can easily walk under it and now have a little bench under there as well :)

How is your tree doing now, it's been a little while since your post?
~Laurrie

editing to add that my "start" was only 3 feet tall when I put it into the ground, soo as you can tell it's a rapid grower!!

This message was edited Feb 16, 2008 10:39 AM