Arroyo Willow struggling?

flashforward

I've a large Willow in my garden. About 9m tall, 8 m wide.

The trunk and lower large branches are covered in moss and offshoots are growing everywhere.

Some large branches have been cut and they feel brittle.

Finally there's rust spots on the leaves

Anything of major concern here?

Is there a right time to cutt off the offshoots on the lower branches and trunk?

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Jim_Hodge

Just looks like a fine old willow to me.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119534756#Comment_119534756

Totally agree, the offshoots are most likely a response to the removal of the other branches allowing more light in. Leave it be.

The Continental Op

I've a lot of willows (live by a river so seemed and obvious thing to plant) and the big old ones look a good bit like the OP's.

Any damage and you get a lot of shoots coming off the main branches. I tend to cut out a good few of them while small. Not all at one go but a few at a time. The problem if you leave them all is that most of them will die off eventually anyway as some of the new shoots gain dominance. So rather than pick up the dead mess I like to take the shoots out when a little smaller. However its a bit cyclical because as you take some off more grow.