Salix Helvetica

[Deleted User]

Do any experienced gardeners grow this in their gardens ?

I have a question regarding its habit once pruned - i've had mine in the ground for 4 years, it's under a metre tall and i want to keep it that way, it grows perfectly, is a prized specimen and on the 2 occasions i've pruned it the same stem has died entirely back.

I prune it to size it, nothing more, maybe 4cm an absolute maximum and only on the taller stems - but each and every time ...... dieback 😥😥😥 
I'll not do it a 3rd time, obviously, and was just asking out of curiosity......
Anyone .... ?

Emmia

The RHS suggests its slow growing and a pruning group 1 so you shouldn't need to do much to it - when do you do the pruning? as timing might be the issue.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/16252/Salix-helvetica/Details

Pruning group 1 information 
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=549

[Deleted User]

Mine hasn't read that book and doesn't agree with the RHS though, it's not that slow growing 😂🤣
Many times what 'should' do doesn't actually happen so the printed word isn't always correct, and not here in this case.
Both times seasons have differered too. 

twopenny

Being a willow given the right conditions they grow like weeds which is why they are so well used for making baskets and hurdles. Cut back and they come again full size the following year.

Maybe it depends on the rootstock they've been grown on. When you say you've pruned the stem - does that mean you are pruning the lead trunk?

I'm curious to the answers as I quite fancy one of these.

[Deleted User]

These are multi stemmed shrubs, grow to about 2-3 metres and are woody, i have  2 other Salix in the garden which aren't woody - again multi stemmed Salix integra (Hakuro Nishiki ) and Salix Purpuera Nana and these can be snipped with gay abandon with no concerns.

It's definately the woody ones which suffer from 'snipping' 😉 

I definately recommend the woody ones because they bear the attractive catkins aswell as having the attractive appearance generally. 

Edit:
The same's happening on the S lanata too, also multi stemmed, woody.