Salix caprea / Pussy willow propagation?

[BeeJayBee]

I've picked some twigs that are covered in beautiful male, pollen-bearing, flowers and thought it would be easy to get them to root - by simply shoving them in the ground. But various websites say propagating S. caprea isn't easy.

Has anybody had any success?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Now is the time to do softwood cuttings. Usually works a treat.

 

[AndyTh]

Me neither, even taking pencil thick cuttings in autumn didn't work for me. Garden books advice leads me to believe taking salix cuttings in spring less successful, especially of twigs with the catkins on. I've tried for 3 or 4 years, and am trying again this winter. It doesn't help having a local beek who reckons salix is the easiest to take cuttings from - any idiot can get the cuttings to root! Suggestions welcome as there is a dearth of caprea anywhere near my bees and I'd like to succeed someday!

 

[susbees]

We always bring in a few pre-catkin willow twigs to hang wooden eggs on for that time of year. They always root...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No problem at all around with us - they grow like weeds

 

[BeeJayBee]

Thanks.

The ones I've seen are only just now bearing catkins, not many are the fluffy male pollen-bearing ones. I can't mark the trees to be sure I go back to the right one, so getting softwood cuttings might be a bit tricky.

I've got about half a dozen twigs, what's the best thing to do with them? Should I leave them in water or try to root them in compost? If compost, should it be the standard high-grit content, or should it be kept damp?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Put half in a gritty compost in a pot and put the pot out of the way in a hedge somewhere. The other half can be popped into the ground by the pot.
Keep them watered otherwise forget them till next year.

 

[Snail368]

Cut them with sharp secateurs, about 12-20 inches long is fine and stick 1/4 or so of length in water. Leave for 3-4 weeks.

It is normally as easy as that.

When a good root system has developed, plant in gritty compost and heel plant (and pot) into a bed (keep watered) and plant out in the autumn.

Good luck!

 

[BeeJayBee]

Thanks.

They're sitting in a jug of water at the moment, I think I've got enough to try each of these ways of getting them rooted.

 

[Finman]

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In my country Salix caprea does not make roots from twigs.

It has a problem in late summer. It gets a yellow mold which kills upper leaves in canopy.

There are many healthy willow hybrids which are easier to grow and they do pollen in few years.

But caprea is a beautifull shape tree.


Approaches on vegetative propagation of difficult-to-root Salix caprea
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.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11240-004-0665-9#page-1

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