Using willow to hasten propagation

Does anybody know anything about using willow to hasten propagation? I read an article about this, but I cannot remember how it is used - the leaves in water to root, or bark, or stems, or make a willow tea? Can anybody tell me something about this?

I think that it is the water that is used to root the willows in; that caused a chemical compound to hasten rooting in other plants. I am rooting curly twigs now, but do not remember how intense the water needs to be for it to help other plants.

Hi, Roz :) I have been using willow water as an aid to propagation for a few years, and I am not positive the "best" way to do it, but here is my method:

I gather fallen but still live stems from wild willows in our area. The trees aren't the weeping willow, but another species (no clue which one). I kind of mangle the sticks with shears to expose the inner bark and the layer just below that, then submerge them in rain water for at least 24 hours. I stuff as many sticks as I can in a quart vase, then fill with water.

After I have my concentrate, depending on what I am rooting, I soak the cuttings in the water for an hour or a day. Hardwood cuttings are left for a day, softwood or herbaceous stems for an hour. For really stubborn plants I even cut the stems under the willow-water to aid in the absorbtion. I don't know if this is necessary, or if it even helps, but at least it doesn't hurt.

After the stems have been soaking, I prepare my rooting compound, usually sterile perlite or vermiculite mixed with equal amounts of sand. Put the cuttings the correct depth, then water them in with the rooting water. Encase in a plastic bag, and let it sit in an area away from direct sunlight. My softwood things usually have roots within a week; some of the hardwood things might need several months. After a couple weeks, I water again, just a little, with a fresh batch of willow-water if they still haven't rooted.

No, I don't get perfect results with this method, but for me, it works a lot better than the commercial powders that I have tried. I think the ones that I have bought were outdated. Almost none of the cuttings I took with powders ever rooted.

Best of luck!

Thanks, Marcia and Lupine lover, Now that I know what you are doing, I can do it too. My willow is like yours, Lupinelover, wild. Thank you so much; I am going to try it.

I was just wondering about this very subject this morning, I wasn't sure if cuttings from a weeping willow tree would work.

Carena: Any willow tree will work.

I just snip the fresh ends of the willow, toss them in a wheelbarrow,fill with water,toss in what you want to root,put in shade.

I recieved this in a e/mail the other day, not sure why the person here sent it to me though. But here goes:

been using willow tea hormone for 30 years yielding successfull propagating
cuttings. check out willow tea on the 'net. you makeit from any (that's
any) willow branches soaked overnight. the tea saved in plastic milk 1
gal containers. will save indefinitely. finally realized i should be
using it for transplants - flowers to pecan trees. don't pay $7/quart
from nurseries to $7/gal from walmart.

Thanks! that's great news!!!

It sure is!

Let me know Roz if it works. I know of weeping willow but what other kind is there? I am trying to think of what that tree is that has the trunks that are all curled going up. Japanese gardens have them them. Are they willows?

I have been trying to root my double wisteria for Glory and afer 1 week the stems go black! I am getting frustrated.