I have a variegation issue!
shoecake
Posts: 13
I was given a standard shrub (I believe it is a Salix) it was being disposed of so I said I would take it in but this was last summer during the hottest week and it shrivelled up in the pot before I could do anything with it. I honestly thought it was dead but spent time soaking it in a bucket of water and this spring it began to sprout. It has sprouted all the way down the stem (which doesn't bother me as I prefer a full shrub to a standard) however only one shoot at the top of the trunk is growing with any variegation in fact it's so extreme it's pretty much white with the odd green spot where as everywhere else it is only green. I read that removing the green leaves may encourage it to grow back variegated which I have been doing to no avail and then I read a plant cannot regain it's variegation once lost
If anyone has any useful tips I'd be grateful, if it is okay for it to be green I'm happy to let them grow as it is doing I just didn't know if it was essentially ruined now or not!
thanks
Rachel 
Posts
These are grafted and anything that grows from below the graft will not be variegated. The green part will be stronger and quicker and swamp the variegated part
In the sticks near Peterborough
In the sticks near Peterborough
ah right thank you - do you think it is worth keeping it (currently at the back of a border) or would you get rid? (I'm very bad at throwing away live plants!)
I'd chuck it. It's my new policy. If it isn't doing its job, it's out
not going very well so far
In the sticks near Peterborough
I'd want to know what the rootstock was before I let it grow too much
In the sticks near Peterborough
Nut is always right - Edd you should've learned that by now!
The rootstock is likely to grow into a monster - they're chosen to pass on their vigour to the weaker variegated graft. If the graft has failed the rootstock will be huge
I'd hoick it out now before I need to pay for a tree surgeon and a stump grinder! Don't forget, willow stumps regrow!!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I'm a champion chucker nut. I take no **** from anything or anyone any more
There's a Bergenia here that's on a final warning
I'd chuck the willow too for the reasons nut gives. In fact - I'd have chucked it right at the start. I hate those variegated ones
Choose things you really want shoecake, rather than just keeping stuff because it's free. It's not always beneficial.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...