Walking Stick Tree Care

Noteworthy characteristicsexcellent specimen tree.

Walking stick tree care.

You can water less frequently once plants are mature. The majority of harry lauder s walking sticks available at nurseries are grafted plants and require some special care. If possible purchase trees grown on their own roots to avoid rootstock suckers. Botanically known as corylus avellana contorta harry lauder s walking stick is one of the most interesting interesting plants you can put in your landscape and probably one of the least understood.

It is also a good plant that tolerates both high heat and wind locations. If your plant has this condition you need to prune out any infected wood and make sure you cut all the way back into healthy wood that is not infected. Most interesting of all its triply compound leaves are the largest leaves of any temperate tree in the continental united states. The devil s walking stick is a medium sized tree capable of reaching heights of over 30 feet 10 m.

Use shoots in floral arrangements. Harry lauder s walking stick pruning propagating and general care. As often happens with grafted plants there is a tendency for suckers to shoot up from the rootstock. Pruning and propagation of contorted filberts.

Reduce frequency once established. Sterilize your pruners after each cut by dipping them in rubbing alcohol. Place cuts just beyond a healthy lateral branch or leaf node. Step 2 cut any broken cracked clearly diseased or clearly dead limbs or branches back to a point of healthy wood.

This wonderful plant with it s array of twisted and contorted branches will happily grow in zones 4 through 8 and is one of the few plants that really has no serious disease or insect pest problems. Care grows best in organically rich well drained soils. Water quite frequently in the first few years after planting to help the shrub establish a strong root system. This tree is slow growing so don t cut too much especially.

Harry lauder s walkingstick does not tolerate poorly drained or wet soils this plant would rather be in too dry than too wet of a location. How to grow harry lauder s walking stick the shrub is normally planted from balled and burlapped specimens or potted plants in fall or spring. Trim the lower parts of the walking stick tree to remove excess growth and expose the twisted branches in the main part of the plant. A newer cultivar red majestic bears burgundy colored new growth so it has greater summer appeal.

Prune your lauder s walking stick tree in the the early spring after all the fruits have been cleared off by animals for winter forage but before new growth is visible. Caregrow in fertile well drained soil in sun or partial shade. It grows well in full sun to part shade. Water deeply and regularly during the first few growing seasons to establish an extensive root system.