Photo: User:Kurt Stueber, Public domain · source
Pruning guide · Shrub
Purple willow: when and how to prune
Salix purpurea
Purple willow is best pruned in December–March.
| Pruning months | December–March |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in March |
| Flowering | March–April |
| Native to Belgium | Yes |
Purple willow: when to prune it?
While dormant in winter, from December to March.
Prune while dormant, from November to March, but not in freezing weather.
What else to prune in those months? January · February · March · December
Purple willow: how to prune it?
- Coppice or pollard it every one to three years, just above the ground or the pollard head: this gives long, straight rods.
- For a free-growing ornamental shrub, just thin out the oldest branches every few years.
- Trim a low hedge of ‘Nana’ into shape in winter.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: December–March.
- Can be cut back to just above the ground every few years and will then regrow.
- Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in March can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
- As a native plant, it feeds more insects than a non-native species.
- Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.
Common mistakes
- Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
- Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.
Caution: Cutting back in winter also removes the catkins: don’t coppice every shrub in the same year, so there are still flowers for the bees.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Similar to: Difference from osier · Difference from white willow
Plant profile: Purple willow · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.