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Weeping Willow Damage

daisy_lee
11 years ago

I have a 3 year old 8 foot tall weeping willow tree, which is growing in the Berkshire Mountains at my weekend house. The tree was growing great, trunk strong with many leaves emerging. Today I saw that the crown of the tree was broken along with many branches on the top. What could have caused this damage? Are there any animals that are known to climb weeping willow trees and chew or break off the branches? I am trying to root the branches in hopes of planting more trees around.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Carol

Comments (12)

  • denninmi
    11 years ago

    Animal damage -- I guess in theory a porcupine might, they sometimes chew bark, I THINK. They don't live around here, so I'm not sure.

    More likely either wind/snow/storm/ice damage. Willows are notoriously weak wood, and they break easily.

    Yes, the broken branches will probably root in moist soil. Long term, you are probably setting yourself up for more of the same. DEFINITELY a tree to keep far, far away from any structures or driveways, so that when the inevitable happens there isn't expensive collateral damage.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    they are notoriously weak wooded..

    for all we know ... a skunk sneezed .... and it broke the leader ..

    you should think long and hard .... about planting a lot of willow ... because there is no reason.. every one you plant.. will do this.. in any wind storm ... severe or not ...plus rain.. hail .. snow load.. ice... etc ...

    i moved to get away from a giant willow at the old house .. lol ..

    ken

    ps: animals are not stupid.. they do not climb until the tree breaks ... they kinda figure it out sooner.. rather than later ... and there is nothing up there an animal would want ... unless it was some flying beaver ...

  • wisconsitom
    11 years ago

    Flying beavers aside, porcupine is a reasonable guess, if it was indeed a critter. They gnaw on a wide variety of trees although they are especially troublesome on conifers, especially your favorite conifers. They really mess with those!

    I love the look of a big weeping willow, especially in the winter when the golden twig color predominates. Especially too, I love them from a distance, on someone else's property!

    +oM

  • daisy_lee
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    We found out that it was a moose that caused the damage to the tree and more damage this past week.

    Many thanks to all who responded!

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    a climbing moose ... lol .. those pesky 1500 pound animals sneaking around.. lol ..

    you might want to be sure there isnt a squirrel hanging around..

    check out the link for proper ID ...

    and have a great day ...

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:343822}}

  • famartin
    11 years ago

    Moose are tall... its definitely possible they wrecked an 8 foot tree.

  • denninmi
    11 years ago

    Moose snacks, eh. Makes sense.

    How do you keep a moose away from something it wants to eat? Given their size and strength, you probably don't.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    How do you keep a moose away from something it wants to eat?

    ===>>> secret russian agent???

    ken

  • greg Hanlon
    8 years ago

    My weeping willow trees constanting have porcupines at night. At first I thought it was deer causing the damage, until I saw where the limbs were chewed off 30ft up in the tree,,,lol. So I went out at night & sure enough, those porcupines love the bark on those new branches & end up chewing them off,,,have 2 trees being severly damaged right now. So without shooting them, how do I keep them off the tree?,,,perhaps barbed wire?

  • CJ Daigle
    last year

    Here on southern Maine I found many green branches were being cut off Weeping Willow April and May. So much that I didn't think the tree would live another two years. I found out after getting rid of ground hpgs, porcupines, skunks and opossums that it was 8 grey squirrels doing the deed. They just climb and bite the branch off...no reason. Was like catnip to them. So far I dispatched all but one and willow tree is doing much better. I will get yhe last one eventually...I am retired.

  • bengz6westmd
    last year

    CJ Daigle, growing up, gray squirrels would do the same to the American elm as it was leafing out in our yard. Of course, that tree was eventually killed by Dutch Elm Disease.