Bamboo Tree?

Hi, I have a tree in my garden, bought from a chap selling trees in his garden, he couldn't remember the name and it was bare when I bought it. He did say that the stems could be used to make wicker baskets.
Anyway, it has grown well this year in height but the bottoms of each shoot/branch seems to have dead leaves on with only new growth on the tips. I love the leaves they are a lovely green and are really like my bamboo plants. The shape is almost identical.
However, i can find no mention of a bamboo tree in any of my gardening books.
Normally, if i have a plant not growing well lower down, I just cut it hard back and almost always it seems to appreciate this and i am rewarded with loads of new thick growth.
If anyone can shed light on what tree this could be i would be thrilled, if not, does anyone agree with me that i should cut it hard back. Seems such a shame though as i want to use it as a screen and i have been so pleased with how much it has grown, there again if it doesn't have many leaves i guess it will look a sorry sight next year.
Thanks for listening to my problem. Any help will be much appreciated.

 

Hi Sharon
Sounds like a willow to me (stems are used for weaving), some of them do lose leaves lower down particularly at this time of year & if they have various diseases. As its a deciduous tree (i.e. loses its leaves in winter), You should prune it when it is dormant (in winter). There is a thread somewhere on this site with details of salix (willow) diseases, but if your google "Salix + diseases" you should get some results

 

Thanks for the information. checked in the books and though i can't find the exact one, i think its a willow. Will inspect the stems properly tomorrow. Will probably try chopping them all off and if i kill it off completely guess i can always buy a new one in feb/march time. Nothing to lose i guess as its a new garden and nothing is really established yet.

 

Hi Sharon - hope you wait till winter to give it a good chop! Good luck!