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Willow or will not?

Gardening_PunkGardening_Punk Posts: 21
in Plants
So I’m in the midst of a full house renovation and with it comes a full garden renovation. I’m new to gardening and trying to learn all I can. Very early stages and it’s hard to see the wood for the trees (excuse the pun) but as I pick up bits it will all start falling in to place I hope. 

Within our garden we have one very lonely, unloved tree I can’t quite identify, along with something at the back of the garden that looks like a tree but is more shaped like a bush.

I’ve looked on the Woodland trust app but can’t get a good read. Could they both be willow trees?
Apologies for the poor images, I will try and get a better once tomorrow.

If they are willows, I would like to prune the tree to remove the lower branches and leave the higher ones.

With the “bush” I’d like to do something to work it to be a hedge or something that looks under control, any suggestions?




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Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    The first is an ash ... the second looks from here like a willow of some sort ... a picture of the leaves would help us to suggest which one. 

    If the ash is within 50ft of a house or building I’d get rid of it. They grow into huge trees, are prone to drop branches, and have surface roots which suck all the moisture out of the soil for a large area around, making it very difficult to grow anything in the garden ... I know ... we have one!!! 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    If you mean the one in the foreground of first photo it looks like a Rowan tree.
    Need close up of leaves on the bush.
  • Gardening_PunkGardening_Punk Posts: 21
    Thank you, that’s good to know, if it is ash, I’ll double check tomorrow I will whip it out as it’s about 10 feet from the back of the house. 😐
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Rowan aka mountain ash is not the same as an ash tree. They make good garden trees.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    K67 said:
    Rowan aka mountain ash is not the same as an ash tree. They make good garden trees.
    Agree. From the photo it looks to me like an ash but I may be wrong.
    A closer photo would enable a definite ID.  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    edited May 2020
    I hadn't seen your post @Dovefromabove when I did mine.
    My ability to id plants isn't great and trees even worse!
  • Gardening_PunkGardening_Punk Posts: 21
    Thanks for all the help, let me get some clearer pictures and report back. 👍
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    It is Fraxinus excelsior...common name ash.
    Branches opposite.
    10ft from house ...far too close...better to remove it root and all asap.

    Sorbus...common name rowan  branches are alternate.
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I wouldn't put any big tree close to the house, ash or rowan.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Fire said:
    I wouldn't put any big tree close to the house, ash or rowan.
    ... or willow! 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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