Trunk Damage Please Help

[FreakyGurl]

I planted a weeping willow tree last Fall and within the first 2 weeks rabbits had got a hold of and chewed the bark around the base of the tree (360 degrees) completly off. It turned green this Spring and looks as if it had grown some, however the area where the rabbits chewed looks odd. Right above where the bark was stripped starts the orginal bark but it looks as if it has roots (claw looking appearance) growing out from it. Also, the stripped area appears dry and splintery looking. Will my tree die? Should I wait another season to see if it does well? It is about 7-8 feet tall right now with a trunk size of about 1 inch (without measuring). Please help, I would hate for it to get huge and then fall over. I have been researching this problem trying to find an answer and have came across stories about girdling and trees rotting out from the inside out? I don't want this to happen to me. If pictures would help I can take some..Thank You

[FreakyGurl]

Here is a picture of the trunk for my previous post. I have also posted a picture of the tree branches. Some of the branches have no leaves and are very brittle. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am a newbie to this stuff. Thank You

[img]https://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/djfreakygurl/willowtrunk1.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/djfreakygurl/HouseWallFlowerBeds015.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/djfreakygurl/HouseWallFlowerBeds021.jpg[/img]

[Gnome]

FreakyGurl,

It seems that the rabbits have performed an unwanted air layer for you. If you are not familiar with this term look [url=https://www.afn.org/~bonsai/airlayer.html]here.[/url]

Perhaps you can utilize this technique and try to encourage a new set of roots.

Here is a picture of a layer I am doing on a Beech. I'm thinking you can do something along these lines. In a year or so the tree is separated from the old roots and replanted a bit lower.

[url=https://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=layerfz8.jpg][img]https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/4779/layerfz8.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Norm

[FreakyGurl]

Thank You Norm for the reply. With the site on air layering you sent, I now understand that process and will give that a shot. The white claw looking things I seen before must of been the new roots forming huh? They since have dried up as you can see from the picture. This air layering process takes about 1-2 years before I can separate it from the original roots and if so will the roots survive during the winter? Again Thank You for your help!

[Gnome]

FreakyGurl,

The white claw looking things I seen before must of been the new roots forming huh?

Probably.

This air layering process takes about 1-2 years before I can separate it from the original roots

It depends on the species and the time of year that you begin the layer. If you start in spring after the leaves harden off then you may be able to separate the plant that same year. Since you are kind of obligated to start now you may not be able to separate until some time next year, spring at the earliest, possibly summer.

will the roots survive during the winter?

Since the tree is in the ground it should be a simple matter to mulch it in well. This should protect the roots over the winter.

Again Thank You for your help!

You're welcome. I'd like to know how it turns out for you but I realize that it will be the better part of a year before you know. By the way Willows are known to root from cuttings very easily.

Norm