We moved in and identified a dappled willow but it was grafted to something and the trunk cracked this past winter / killed the tree. Something has emerged from the root but I am not suremif it is a weed or the original trunk re-emerging?
Thank you for contacting thre Toronto Master Gardeners. It is really frustrating to lose such a beautiful tree.
Salix integra ‘Hakuro-nishiki Dappled Willow is usually always grafted onto a compatible, strong and straight growing, upright willow trunk because the dappled willow is not sturdy enough to prune into a tree form. The shoots that you are observing are the shoots from the rootstock of the wild type tree and will not produce the variegated leaves of the graft.
My suggestion will be to remove the tree.