Update March 22: I have stopped taking orders for cuttings for 2020. Please don’t ask. Thank you, Steve.

We sell willow cuttings for propagation. These hardwood cuttings are an easy and reliable way to grow new willow plantings. The willow varieties in the table have grown well at Dunbar Gardens in northwest Washington. Most of them are very useful for basket making; some are good for hedges, living fences, sculptural work, or garden ornamentals. There will be variation in the color of both the fresh and dried rods. Order instructions and prices are further down the page. There are also planting and growing tips further down the page which are included with orders.

Willow cuttings list of varieties: Here is a list and short descriptions of the willows we offer. You will also find several collections of varieties that we offer as packages further down the page.

Variety	Species	Coppiced Height & Color Fresh	Comments
Dicky Meadows	S. purpurea	5-8' light green & red	Productive, great for baskets. Beautiful hedge.
Green Dicks	S. purpurea	5-7' olive green & red	Great for weaving baskets
Leicestershire Dicks	S. purpurea	5-7' green to red	Slender rods
Dark Dicks	S. purpurea	6-8' dark red	Longer, larger with nice color. Holds leaves longer into fall.
Brittany Greens	S. purpurea	6-8' mottled red over green	Long, nice for weavers, but soft not as good for borders.
Bleu	S. purpurea	5-8' green to purple	Long, slender rods.
Hutchinson's Red	S. purpurea	5-8' red brown	Long, slender rods.
Light Dicks	S. purpurea	5-7' pale red brown	Despite the name, dark rods.
Goldstones	S. purpurea	6-8' golden green	Early catkins. Dried rods a vibrant green.
Jagiellonka	S. purpurea	6-8' olive green to red	Larger purpurea.
Eugene	S. purpurea	5-8' pale green to red	Good for weaving, long rods for living willow work.
Lambertiana	S. purpurea	6-8' green to dark red	Some branching, rather large but very nice to weave with
Irette	S. purpurea	6-9' light green to brown	Large rods, early fairly large catkins
Polish purple	S. purpurea	5-8' green to red / purple	Some branching; dries dark brown. Good weaver.
America	S. purpurea	6-9' green to reddish brown	Large stocky rods, living willow structures. Previously mis-identified as S. americana.
Richartii	S. purpurea	5-7' brown	Very thin rods, a little branchy, holds leaves late.
Packing Twine	S. purpurea	5-8' brown	Variety from Ireland available in 2021.
Purpurea x daphnoides	S. purpurea x daphnoides	5-8' green to purple	Long slender dark rods.
Calliantha	S. x calliantha	4-6' dark red	Slender rods, a purpurea x daphnoides hybrid
Black Maul	S. triandra	5-8' brown	Classic British basket willow
Noir de Villaines	S. triandra	5-8' dark brown	Nice brown color, rather large but nice weaver. Living fences
Noir de Touraine	S. triandra	5-8' dark brown	Slender triandra. Living fences.
Whissender	S. triandra	6-8' green	Dries light brown, nice aroma. Available in 2021.
Americana	S. americana	red	Available in 2021.
Harrison's B	S. x rubra	6-10' reddish brown	Stocky, but beautiful color and nice for weaving.
Harrisons	S. x rubra	7-10' green	Large, stocky rods for living willow projects. Dries dark brown.
Continental Osier	S. x rubra	7-10' green	Large rods for living willow, hurdles. Dries light brown.
Rubykins	S. koriyanagi	7-10' brown	Early abundant pink catkins. Living willow work.
Flander's Red	S. x fragilis	3-8' green turning red in winter	Some branching, waxy stems. Not currently available.
Raesfeld	S. x fragilis	3-8' green to red	Waxy olive green rods
Belgian Red	S. x fragilis	5-9' green to red	Stocky rods, living willow structures.
Basfordiana	S. x fragilis	5-9' yellow to orange tips	Many unbranched yellow rods after established
Britzensis	S. x fragilis	5-9' orange to red	Branchy, beautiful color but difficult for basket borders. Lovely scent when dry.
Cardinalis	S. x fragilis	5-9' yellow to red	Similar to Britzensis but more yellow
Farndon	S. x fragilis	6-9' orange to red	Great winter color. Good for side weavers.
Natural Red	S. x fragilis	6-9' yellow to red	Grows yellow, dries red.
Jaune de Falaise	S. x fragilis	5-8' yellow	Slender rods, dries red.
Fransgeel Rood	S. x fragilis	5-8' yellow to orange to red	Slender rods, dries red.
Kaat	S. x fragilis	6-9' yellow	Large rods
Golden	S. xfragilis	6-8' yellow to orange	Fairly slender rods, winter color.
Blue Streak	S. acutifolia	6-10' white bloom on green to purple	Silvery white catkins. Can bloom from December through March. Nice ornamental.
Continental Purple	S. daphnoides	6-10' purple to black	Beautiful dark stout rods.
Stewartstown	S. daphnoides	6-10' purple to black	Dark stout rods. Early large catkins make nice floral cuttings.
Blackskin	S. myrsinifolia	5-9' black	Black when fresh, soaks up dark red.
Bory Pescara	S. amplexicaulis	4-6'dark purple	Slender but branchy, holds leaves very late, small early catkins clustered on branch ends.
Bluestem	S. irrorata	Dark red covered in powdery white in winter.	Southwest native, winter ornamental, not vigorous.
Fanny's White	S. x fragilis decipiens	5' Light brown or cream	White Welsh willow. Available in 2021.
Nancy Saunders	S. purpurea	2-5' red	Fine red stems, nice small shrub, a little brittle when weaving
Nana	S. purpurea 'nana'	2-5' brown, red buds	Very fine rods, small cuttings make propagation difficult.

How to order willow cuttings:

Update March 22: I have stopped taking orders for cuttings for 2020. Please don’t ask. Thank you, Steve.

The best way to propagate willow is from dormant hardwood cuttings; so we have to limit the sales to the winter months. To order send an e-mail to steve@dunbargardens.com with the name of the varieties and the quantity of each you would like to order. No telephone orders please. Please give me an idea of when you would like to pickup the cuttings for planting.

Our production of willows for Katherine’s basketmaking and classes allows us to select good sized cuttings to insure successful rooting in your garden. Our cuttings are 10-11 inches in length. Full size rods for living willow fences and structures 7-10 feet in length are available only at the farm for pick-up.

2020 Willow Cuttings Prices:

$1.75 each (minimum 5 per variety)  Please order in multiples of 5 Can’t decide which to order? We offer several packages with a reduced cost of $1.50 each.

Basketmakers package: some reliable varieties for basket making. 5 each of Dicky Meadows, Bleu, Jagiellonka, Dark Dicks, Purpurea x daphnoides, Harrison’s B, Black Maul and Whissender. 40 cuttings for $60

 

Color package: some choice color selections from our collection. 5 each of Blackskin, Blue Streak, Britzensis, Continental Purple, Farndon, Jaune de Falaise, Natural Red, and Calliantha. 40 cuttings for $60  

 

Purpurea package: Salix purpurea varieties are good choices for producing slender unbranched rods in many locations. Less likely to attract deer or diseases. 5 each of Dicky Meadows, Bleu, Dark Dicks, Jagiellonka, Goldstones, Leicestershire Dicks, Lambertiana and Eugene. 40 cuttings for $60

Living willow structures and garden trellis package: 5 each of Eugene, Harrisons, Harrison’s B, Irette, Jagiellonka, Raesfeld, Rubykins and Continental Purple. 40 cuttings for $60  Tip: If you only want to grow willows for one structure or fence, I suggest that you buy one or two varieties rather than this package.

Please note that I may have to substitute varieties in the packages depending on availability when they are shipped.

Prices for full size rods:

We sell full size rods for living willow structures and fences for $3 to $5 each depending on size for pickup on the farm only. Please email for more info. We do not sell dried willow rods for basketmaking or weaving.

Planting willow cuttings and growing tips:

You can grow basket willows in a wide range of soil types, but they prefer well drained soils in full sun. The willows will grow in almost all areas of the US and are very hardy. Willows in general have a tendency to be variable to climate and growing conditions. Your willow bed should ideally be free of any perennial weeds. Get your willow growing area ready the year before you plant. The soil is often too wet in the early spring when you will want to plant the cuttings. Some people choose to plant through a weed barrier fabric. Make sure you cut larger enough holes in the poly to avoid girdling of the stem as the plant grows in subsequent years.

Spring is the best time to plant willow cuttings. February through May. You can leave the willow cuttings in your fridge until you are ready to plant them. Plant when the ground has thawed and danger of hard frost has passed. If you garden, a good time to plant coincides with early crops like peas or when daffodils are blooming. Later is fine if it allows you to prepare the area and control weeds.

Willow cuttings root easily. Plant by simply pushing the cuttings into the ground with the buds facing up. If the soil is rocky or compacted, make a hole with a dibber for each cutting. Try to plant the cuttings 6 to 8 inches into the ground. Leave 2 or 3 buds above the soil surface. Firm the soil around the planted cuttings.

Maintain and check for adequate soil moisture during the first summer. Minimize competition for water and sunlight from weeds or other plants. Mulching the plants can be helpful.

Spacing of the willow cuttings depends on several factors including how the willow will be harvested, how weeds will be controlled, variety, and soil fertility. We are using a spacing of 6 inches in the row by 32 inches between rows for most of our basket varieties. We have also used 12 inches by 24 – 36 inches. Wider spacing is appropriate for producing large rods for garden structures, trellises, or living fences; or when growing in poor soils. Hedges can be planted in a single row spaced from 12 to 24 inches; or a double row planted 24 inches apart with the plants offset.

Basket willows are usually coppiced to the ground annually, including the first year. Only an inch of the original stem needs to be left above the soil the second spring. Find more info and photos about coppicing here on our blog. This approach will give you more straight and uniform rods. We do leave some rods to grow for two or three years for sticks, stakes, and for peeling.

You can choose to grow all your willows as pollards which is an attractive landscape feature. Attractive hedges can be produced by coppicing alternate plants in alternate years just before the willow leafs out in the spring. The result is a hedge that will look good year round; highlighting the winter rods that are more colorful in the first and second years growth. Take a look at our webpage about basketry willow for some more information and photos of the willow at Dunbar Gardens: basketry willow.