How to Prune Bebb Willow

Overview

The bebb willow is large shrub found from Alaska to British Columbia. Used to build furniture and baskets, bebb willow also provides food for birds and small mammals. The bebb willow can grow up to 15 to 25 feet tall and has thin olive-green bark. The leaves are 1 to 3 inches long with oblong hairy fruit. The bebb willow is found growing in swamps, forests, lakes, and streams. It prefers a moist planting site but can tolerate a moderate alkaline soil.

Step 1

Prune the bebb willow in fall after the leaves dissipate. This ensures abundant growth the following season.

Step 2

Cut the top of the bebb willow with pruning shears, and prune to the terminal bud, which is the top part of the shoot and the main growth area. Prune all lateral branches that are gnarled and twisted. The goal is to produce one strong stem leader.

Step 3

Prune a broken or diseased branch by cutting off the entire stem. Remove all insect-infected and diseased branches to avoid infecting the rest of the willow.

Step 4

Prune to one main stem and remove all weak branches from young bebb willows. This will free up nutrients for the willow. Shoots arising from the root of the willow, or sucker stems, should be removed as soon as they become visible.