Willow

Willows at BOB Spring 2023 - a current listing of all the willow species under evaluation at Barred Owl Brook Farm.

All of our willows are also available as cuttings. We will post our cutting inventory by January 1.

Looking for an economical way to start or add to your willow collection? Try one of our mixes!

Willow 1 yr Mix - Our choice. Contains at least 3 of the following varieties: Americana, Vigorella S25, Wooly Sandbar, Sandbar, Shining, Miyabe SX64, Black, Wilky, Willsboro Weeping

Willow 2 yr Mix - Our choice. Contains at least 2 of the following varieties: Americana, USDA Giant Pussy, Black, Shining

Varieties we currently offer (Scientific name / common name):

Salix americana / Americana - Native cultivar; original cutting source = VT Willow Nursery. A native hybrid cross between S. eriocephala and S. petiolaris. Despite its American origins and popularity as a basketry willow in Europe, Americana has not been available in North America for perhaps a century or more. Thanks to Michael Dodge, founder of Vermont Willow Nursery, this attractive shrub willow with hues of red is now available in the U.S.!

Salix discolor / BOB’s Pussy - Native to the ADK region; original cutting source = wild-collected @ Barred Owl Brook, Westport, NY. American pussy willow (S. discolor) is a small tree capable of reaching 20-25 ft., though it can be kept smaller for ornamental purposes with routine pruning. Prized for its ornamental attributes which include smooth, silvery gray catkins on reddish brown stems, pussy willow dazzles in late-winter just as the landscape is beginning to wake. As the catkins develop, this harbinger of spring provides one of the earliest pollen sources for pollinators in search of much needed energy. The multi-stemmed tree we call BOB’s pussy willow was found growing right in the middle of Owl Brook. We suspect it began its current incarnation as a broken branch from a tree upstream in Split Rock Mountain Wild Forest that migrated downstream in a storm where it eventually took hold in the stream bank near the farmhouse. A vigorous grower capable of putting on 4 ft of growth in the first year when started as a cutting.

Salix discolor / USDA Giant Pussy - Native cultivar; original cutting source = VT Willow Nursery. An exceptional female selection of S. discolor selected for cut-stem production by the USDA Plant Materials Center in Big Flats, NY. Shrub-type growth habit differs from wild-type S. discolor which tends to grow as a small tree. Very vigorous - responds well to annual coppice management.

Salix eriocephala / Vigorella S25 - Native cultivar; original cutting source = VT Willow Nursery. A cross between two wild-collected clones of S. eriocephala (aka Woolly-head or Missouri River willow) from the University of Toronto. Widely considered the most vigorous form of S. eriocephala, it grows straighter and produces larger leaves than is typical for the species. Insect and disease resistant. Can be managed as a shrub or small tree, reaching a height of 15-20 ft.

Salix eriocephala x interior / Woolly Sandbar - Native cultivar; original cutting source = VT Willow Nursery. While S. interior and S. eriocephala are known to naturally hybridize, this male selection we call “Woolly Sandbar” was developed by means of controlled cross pollination performed by A. Mosseler of New Brunswick, Canada, in 1990. Mr. Mosseler was tasked with developing willows to be planted for phytoremediation of former coal mining sites. Does not exhibit the spreading tendencies of S. interior. Above average vigor compared to S. eriocephala. Can be managed as a shrub or small tree.

Salix interior / Noblewood Sandbar - Native to the ADK region; original cutting source = wild-collected @ Noblewood Point, Willsboro, NY. A beautiful native willow with long, slender and silvery leaves. Sandbar willow is unique among willows due to its formation of rhizomes - underground stems that allow it to spread horizontally. This tendency has earned it a reputation for being “invasive” and difficult to control. Indeed, if space or landscaping considerations are a concern, perhaps another willow is more appropriate. However, for erosion mitigation and production purposes, a self-expanding willow is a game changer! Left on its own, it will form a dense thicket. However, with early and routine pruning it can be trained as a small tree reaching a height of over 20 ft.

Salix lucida / Shining - Native to the ADK region; original cutting source = VT Willow Nursery. An extremely cold hardy willow, shining willow can be found as far north at the Arctic Circle. Reaches heights of up to 20 ft and can be managed as a large shrub or small tree. The attractive, glossy leaves stand out from other willows due to their size (up to 5” long) and distinct tapering tip. Widely adapted to various site and growing conditions. Resistance to Spongy (Gypsy) moth observed at BOB in 2022 when all other native willows were severely damaged. Needless to say, we are watching this one closely!

Salix miyabeana / Miyabe SX64 - Non-native cultivar (Japan); original cutting source = VT Willow Nursery. An improved cultivar developed at the University of Toronto and trialed at Cornell University as part of their biomass breeding program. SX64 is a male selection. Some sources list it as a multi-stemmed shrub, but there are reports of it reaching heights of 50 feet. In our experience it definitely exhibits a tree-form growth habit. Extremely vigorous - can reach a height of 25 feet in 3 years - and considered to be one of the highest biomass producing willows in temperate regions. Rust and beetle resistant. Produces long, straight rods that can be used for building living structures, various crafts or a source of renewable firewood. Makes for a quick establishing and dense hedge. A study done by the Rural Ag Innovation Network concluded that SX64 was the most favorable forage willow in their sheep willow grazing trials. Another study found SX64 is 12 percent faster growing compared to other shrub willows.

Salix nigra / Black- Native to the ADK region. The largest native willow in the Eastern U.S, black willow (S. nigra) has been known to reach heights of over 100 feet tall. A vigorous and fast grower, the branches are somewhat brittle and prone to snapping, so early pruning is essential for long term health. Our cuttings were collected from a healthy wild stand at Noblewood Point where the Boquet River meanders into Lake Champlain.

Salix petiolaris / BOB’s Meadow- Native to the ADK region; original cutting source = wild-collected @ Barred Owl Brook, Westport, NY. A multi-stemmed shrub also called slender willow. Our original cuttings were collected from a wild stand that established in one of our wetter fields. Meadow willow is a low maintenance, moisture loving shrub that forms dense, tidy clumps up to 10 ft tall and twice as wide, though for ornamental purposes they can be kept smaller with routine pruning. Forms a tidy hedgerow and establishes well in drainages and riparian buffers. Stems are produced in abundance and can be harvested 1-2 yrs after planting to propagate additional plants, so with a little effort you can quickly expand your willow population.

Salix sericea / Silky - Native to the ADK region; original cutting source = VT Willow Nursery. A shrub-type willow that reaches a height of 10–12 ft tall. Leaves start out covered in downy hairs before the upper surface loses its hairs while the underside remains ‘silky’, hence its common name. An early bloomer, this native willow is an important early food source for numerous pollinators. Considered to be more tolerant of drier conditions compared to other willows, though still most at home on moist sites.

Salix x leucopithecia / Winter Glory - Non-native cultivar (Japan); original cutting source = VT Willow Nursery. A wild-collected male hybrid cross between S. gracilistyla and S. caprea. Produces some of the largest catkins - up to 3” - in the entire willow genus. Deservedly named ‘Winter Glory’ for its bright red flower buds that develop in the fall and begin to open as soon as early February in the Champlain Valley. A real show-stopper in the garden. Grows into a small tree, 15-20 ft.

Salix spp. / Willsboro Weeping - Non-native hybrid; original cutting source = the banks of the Boquet River behind Willsborough Hardware, WIllsboro, NY. A beautiful, stately tree. Your classic weeping willow for this neck of the woods. Exact provenance unknown.

More info on Willow:

There are more than 400 species of willow worldwide, including at least 16 species native to the Adirondack region. With so much genetic diversity there’s a willow for just about any application, yet in the U.S. you are far more likely to see a cluster of willow growing in a roadside ditch rather than intentionally incorporated into the farm landscape.

Often overlooked as a viable and valuable forage component in US grazing systems, willows are used extensively for livestock feed in many parts of the world where they are valued as a natural dewormer and used to provide shade and forage during the summer slump when other forages are scarce. With their preference for saturated and seasonally inundated soils, willows hold immense untapped potential to boost forage production in wetter pastures while increasing farm resiliency and providing habitat for wildlife.

Willows are quick to establish and respond extremely well to routine coppicing. Coppicing/pollarding established plants while dormant will produce abundant and vigorous regrowth resulting in ample stems for propagation, grazing, craft, or cut stems for flower arrangements. Willow’s adaptability and relentless desire to grow means that with minimal effort and a little bit of patience you can soon have plenty of material for propagating additional plants in just a few growing seasons. With its wide range of application and overall contribution to farm resiliency, willow makes for a shrewd and frugal investment!