Q I put in a silver-leaved willow at the bottom of my garden because I love the way it lights up in the sunshine. Unfortunately the leaves have turned crinkled and orange around the edges. What can I do?
G. Lloyd-Smith, Camberley.
A The problem is a fungal disease, willow anthracnose, which loves weeping willows. It is always worst in wet seasons and if it’s bad enough those early leaves, usually the worst affected, can drop off. It overwinters in lesions on the twigs which can also be killed by it. If your tree suffers every year, then you either live with it and rake up and destroy all the fallen leaves to minimise the problem, or you take it out before it’s too large. There is something wonderful about a silver tree thrashing in sun and wind.
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