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How do I tame this mystery tree?

Mick HorsleyMick Horsley Posts: 6
in Plants

Hope the image isn't too big.

New to this site but hoping someone can tell me how I can sort this beast out?

Can I cut it right back hoping it'll grow again or will I need to trim it?

I want to say coppice it but I'm not sure that's the right term.

 

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Posts

  • Mick HorsleyMick Horsley Posts: 6

    Some pictures of the leaves too in case someone can tell me what it is!

     

     

    image

     

  • Mick HorsleyMick Horsley Posts: 6
    No flowers that I recall. Some fairly rough catkins though.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Looks like Salix caprea, goat willow to meimage

    Cppice is cut it all to just above ground level and would be a suitable way to go. It will grow back as a multi-stemmed shrub



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Salix Caprae is pussy willow. It may be a willow, but not pussy willow, that is pretty distinctive. Willows hybridise readily so it could be anything.
  • Mick HorsleyMick Horsley Posts: 6
    Goat willow looks good. Good news if I can coppice it too. Thanks all.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,476

    I have a couple of trees like yours . Grew them from a packet of mixed perennial seeds. Didn't know they'd be trees! Have to keep them heavily pruned, so no clues blossom-wise. It's great to know what they are. Thanks.

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • annmarie 2annmarie 2 Posts: 155

    ,the leaves look a bit like a fruit tree but I don't think it is one ,, very strange  maybe a willow ... hey it you may have a new undiscovered tree , a hybrid of sort it happens don't laugh

  • Mick HorsleyMick Horsley Posts: 6

    So it looks like my trees a goat willow and I can coppice it. Any tips on how best to do this and when?  My plan is to just take it down to a stump in the next few weeks.

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Most cutting down is done when the leaves have fallen. Makes the job easier.



    You can cut it almost to the ground. It looks as though that has been done to it in the past.
  • DonthegooseDonthegoose Posts: 1

    Probably S. caprea, your rough catkins are the female flowers, a bit spikier than the male, the 'pussy' catkins are the male. The trees are dioecious which means the male and female catkins grow on separate trees, so you probably have a female. 

    Cut down to about 10 inches above the ground in late autumn early winter (coppicing...yes you were right!) and it will produce anything between 1 to 4 metres of growth next year. If you want more trees (probably not) then you can push the cut stems (about 2ft in length) in moist to wet ground and they may strike or take root, but make sure that its not near any buildings as willow roots are notorious for cracking drains and foundations.

    .

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