Question by Dale M: Will a willow oak grow straight if chomped by a deer?
I have recently transplanted a three-year-old willow oak ( http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/quercus/phellos.htm ) from a shady area where it wasn’t doing too well to a very sunny area. I added lots of compost and prepared the hole nicely.
It’s about 4 feet high, but the top shoot was chomped on by a deer and seems like it may have damaged the ability of the tree to grow straight. There are several side shoots that are waiting to open up with leaves (being that it’s now very early spring).
Many other trees can recover from a deer chomping and sprout other upward shoots to take over, but I am worried this one might not.
Other than the damage to the main shoot, the tree appears to be plenty healthy — leaves are ready to come out, root appears good, etc.
Thanks
I moved the tree about 250 feet from a wooded area to a more public street area — hopefully the deer will stay away from this area. Both answers #1 and #2 are about the same — and much appreciated — I’ll give this a try. You both are “the best” answer, but since I can’t pick both, I’ll just pick one.
Best answer:
Answer by clayton
If the main leader has been severely damaged, then allow another branch to take over, use a rope or string to direct the new leader to be, into position. Keep an eye on it to make sure everything is going ok.
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Question by THOMAS K: I am trying to have a botanical name parsed and explained.?
The weeping willow is called a cultivar, a hybrid between the white willow, Salix alba, and the Peking willow, Salix matsudana, syn., Salix babylonica. Its scientific name is Salix x sepulcralis ‘Chrysocoma’. How would one trace this to S. alba and S. matsudana? What is the status of ‘sepulcralis’? Is this a pseudo-species? Since ‘Chrysocoma’ is the cultivar name, why do we need a specific name anyway, if it is not that of either of the hybridized species? What precisely is the ‘x’ all about?
Best answer:
Answer by Some Dude
I assume there is a historical record of the cross.
What is a pseudo-species?
Actually, the naming guys are moving away from that method of cultivar naming.
The x means “cross”
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Question by j123: What is this tree?
What is the scientific name(s) for a “Green Weeping Willow”.
I ordered one and I wanted to know the scientific name for it.
There is the common one: Weeping willow (Salix babylonica)
There is the Golden Weeping Willow (Salix alba ‘Tristis’)
But I don’t know the Green Weeping Willows.
Best answer:
Answer by K R
Juniperus scopulorum.
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Question by yellowrowan: help! care for a weeping willow?
i just bought an approx 12ft weeping willow (salix babylonica).i was wondering if anyone has had great success in the southeastern( esp. GA,FL,AL) part of the U.S. with them. if so, i’ve read up alot about them but was looking for some tips…
Best answer:
Answer by MEnMA
A good place for info on any plant is your local County Agricultural Agent.
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Question by Brandon: Does a Salix Babylonica (Weeping Willow) self-sow?
I love to work out in the yard, and I bought myself a Salix Babylonica a few days ago (don’t worry…it has lots of room to grow). I researched and found that since it has a rapid growth rate, the tree’s lifespan is only about 75 years. I was a little disappointed that such a beautiful tree has such a short lifespan. So now, my question is, does the Salix Babylonica (Weeping Willow) self-sow? Thanks!! Btw, if you haven’t guessed…I’m a complete novice when it comes to trees. 
Best answer:
Answer by cuttingras
as far as I know No it doesn’t but you can take a branch and root it in a bucket of water. You might even try some root hormone stuff, then into a good potting soil mix, keep watered until it roots then transplant
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