This is a willow shrub that does not spread underground from runners. I bought these plants to serve as a screen because they're supposed...Read More to fill in quickly. I've been growing them for about six years in very poor clay soil and my plants don't fill out as much as they are supposed to. They grow very quickly and shoot straight up (up to four feet a year), and I tried cutting them back to encourage bushier growth, with limited results. The cuttings produce roots in a few weeks and flourish every time. The older plants seem to yellow and die after 3-4 years, while the new plants right next to them are flourishing. I'm not sure what the problem is, because I have tried watering some and not watering others, hoping it would make a difference. I think it will work better for someone in a more hospitable environment. If anyone has any ideas, please advise. In the meantime, I found other things that work better in the same space to serve as a screen, but I will continue to use new cuttings to fill in the background even if they only last a few years at a time, because they make a great "swooshing" sound in the wind and add a lot to the landscape.
This is a willow shrub that does not spread underground from runners. I bought these plants to serve as a screen because they're supposed...Read More