Pruning a Salix?

Hi all,

My partner has a Salix "Mount Aso", we planted it last year, this year it has really started putting on some growth and seems at risk of getting too top-heavy for the tall slender trunk.

Can we trim it back a little to keep it in-check or not? Not sure whats best really

Any help appreciated, thanks

 

Best practice would be to heavy prune it just after it has flowered. Normally you only need to do it every few years. The problem with mount aso is that you normally want the catkins and it may be to late in the year to cut it hard back and still have flowering next year. With all the willows I have grown they are happy to be hacked if and when I desire, with little evidence of being annoyed (but I don't have them for catkins), so I don't think you will do any damage by pruning but might lose next year's display.

 

Thanks, it's really just trimming the tips of the longest branches back, it's very uneven at present.