Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
mary_max

Artic Willow Privacy Hedge

mary_max
11 years ago

Just curious what the spacing of this plant is for a hedge. I have read 12 to 18 inches but thought I better run this by you folks. That seemed pretty close for these shrubs.? ? Appreciate your thoughts. Thanks so much.

Comments (10)

  • flora_uk
    11 years ago

    How much privacy do you anticipate from Salix arctica, a deciduous shrub which tops out at 10 inches? Are you sure have the right species? (BTW ArCtic)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    i believe.. in Britian.. hedges traditionally are planted.. to keep livestock in ... and neighbors out.. lol ...

    as such.. planting for a 'hedge' .. might be much different than what you want to accomplish ... which might jsut be a pretty line of plants ....

    so.. define your project.. and you might get a better answer ..

    willow is one of the easiest plants.. on the face of the earth.. to root.. from cuttings ... and then such grows like the weeds they are ...

    so if i were spacing .. i would contemplate how many i really need to buy ... and how many i can propagate by the end of summer ... e.g ... i might only buy two ... and plant them at either end of the project.. and as i trim off branches... i would start planting between the 2.. and in 3 years .... i would be all set ... but i would be doing 100 feet.. and barely have the budget for the two ...

    all that said ... when privacy is the goal ... then your screen will fill in faster.. the closer you space them .. but looking at the link.. i have no clue why you would need them 12 to 18 inches apart.. when it looks like the plant can get 10 feet wide ...

    BTW .. as i look thru goggle ... it is defined by wiki??? .. lol.. as a Salix arctica (arctic willow) is a tiny creeping willow (family Salicaceae).

    how much of a privacy screen is a dwarf creeping plant ...

    i am now.. completely confused.. whats the latin name of your dream plant ...

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • mary_max
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ken yes you are right it is a hedge simply for... a pretty line of plants ....That is exactly what I have in mind. By the way it is the blue artic willow which can get out of control. I do have several plants that I did make by the stick in ground idea as you suggested. Love free plants! When you said fill in the area when you trim existing plant back I will do exactly that. Great idea. But how close do I space the cuttings? Don't want a jungle! Just a nice looking hedge.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    well .... how the heck do i know.. lol ...

    its really just to your wishes ...

    are you a compulsive.. and want the job done yesterday ... and perfect.. and have the budget ... space them close ...

    if you are a patient gardener .. and this is a 5 year plan .... 10 year.. whatever it takes ... then plant a few.. propagate a few.. add the propagated ones to the far end in fall .. propagate more.. etc ... and just take the time to build your dream ...

    i just cant answer this question with any idea.. of such ...

    would you rather have 10 feet of the project spaced to perfection ... or stretch it out with the goal of 'filling in' .. as the years roll by???

    but looking at the pix ... at the link ... i would suggest 5 to 8 feet apart ... minimum.. IF you wish to retain some semblance of the ball shape .... as compared to the privacy yesterday ....

    but if you want basically a wall ... 2 to 3 feet apart.. would sure fill it in faster ......

    i hope you do understand.. that when those plants at the link .. are twice as old.. whatever their age.. they will probably be twice as tall.. and twice as wide.. and you will be creating a maintenance nightmare.. as the years roll by ... as is common with SHRUBS... and hedges.. they are not going to remain those cute little plants w/o vigorous REJUVENATION PRUNING.... and the reason i mention this.. is that what i was willing to do 12 years ago [hard work.. lol] .. i am finding i have no interest in the heavy labor as the years roll by ... so you might not want to line out 100 feet of this type of plant ... or maybe you do.. its up to you ...

    good luck

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • flora_uk
    11 years ago

    OK, now we know it's Blue ArCtic Willow, ie Salix purpurea, that makes all the difference. This one will grow much taller than ArCtic Willow, and could be a useful hedge. Willows are very amenable to trimming so you could either coppice them right down to stumps periodically, giving you bushes, or pollard them, giving you lollipops. They wouldn't take well to clipping like a traditional, tightly cut, dense hedge but would make a good informal line of shrubs or small trees.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Salix purpurea

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    didnt we all ready convince you to enjoy the redtwig for winter red.. and to cut it down in late winter ... for a new spring flush??? ..

    i would call either of them a 'run it over with the truck' type of plant.. you are going to have to work hard to figure out how to kill them ... especially.. just by pruning them ...

    ken

  • mary_max
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes I am enjoying the red show this time of year. It looks really nice with the Colorado blue spruce trees. Last year I didn't cut the dogwoods back until after they flowered because I thought it would be nice to see it in bloom. I am cutting it early spring this year as the blooms were nothing to wait for in my opinion.

  • flora_uk
    11 years ago

    Have you suddenly moved from z5 to z10? Where exactly do you live, mary_max?

  • mary_max
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    No its zone 5. Utah. Whenever I post it shows my zone as zone 10 and I have to change it. Forgot to do that in last post. :)