The olive willows are ornamental shrubs that are equally suitable for solitary, group, hedge or container planting and do not require any extensive care. Through targeted pruning, the bushes can be kept in shape and their branching promoted.
When and how should you prune an olive willow?
Olive willows can be pruned after flowering between June and October to encourage branching and achieve a desired shape. Shape cutting, thinning cuts and tapering cuts can be used here. Hedges should be trimmed annually in June.
The olive willow species are considered trees that tolerate pruning. They tend to form long, rod-like shoots that should be shortened regularly to achieve better branching. Not only topiary pruning of young plants, but also thinning and rejuvenation pruning can be used for olive willows. In general, however, the annual pruning measures required for many woody plants - with the exception of oil willow hedges - are not absolutely necessary.
Cutting time
Pruning takes place after flowering. Since different types of olive willow bloom at different times, any necessary pruning measures can be carried out between June and October. The best time for rejuvenation is in February or March before the new leaves emerge. It is sufficient to cut every two or three years. The hedges are trimmed annually in June. The cut should preferably be done on an overcast day.
Topiary
The young plants are initially made to branch better by shortening the long shoots and to give the bush a bushier appearance and the desired shape. In around the third year, the bushes can be cut back by a third.
Blending cut
The thinning cut that is common for ornamental and commercial trees can also be used for olive willows. Essentially you limit yourself to the following actions:
- take out shoots that grow unfavorably inwards,
- Unbranched, stronger shoots either shorten to half or cut off directly at the base,
- shorten old, bare, damaged shoots close to the ground.
Rejuvenation cut
Radical pruning of oil pastures that have become too large is possible. However, it is better to spread the rejuvenation evenly over several years. To do this, depending on the size of the plant, cut out 2-3 older branches every year to make room for the young shoots. The remaining shoots are shortened by a third.
Tip
The cut shoots of the olive willow can be used for propagation, which is done with the olive willow using so-called head cuttings.
