Balsam, Pear-leaf Willow Cutting

Balsam, Pear-leaf Willow (Salix pyrifolia 'Balsam') Cutting

Native to several northern US states and Canada. The Balsam willow has aromatic leaves and is a good for pollinators.

How to plant willow, poplar, and dogwood cuttings...

Willow cuttings are sticks pruned from a willow tree. They are easy to plant, take root on their own, and grow very quickly.

The first step in planting willow cuttings is to find out which end of the cutting is up. One way to do this is to look at the buds. They will taper or point in the up direction. If there are no buds, the stick upright if the curved ridges where the buds emerge are concave up or appear to be smiling.

When planting directly in the ground and as long as the soil is soft, you can just push the stick in until about half its length is showing. If the ground is hard, use a piece of metal to create the hole, and then insert the cutting. Willow cuttings can also be planted in pots. When planting in the ground, it is a best practice to minimize competition for the first year by weeding or by using a weed barrier.

Finally, willow cuttings are very hardy. In growing zones eight and above, they can be planted any time of the year.  Even if you plant them in the middle of winter in zone eight, they will start growing as soon as spring arrives. That’s it.  As long as the cutting is well watered and gets sun, it will root and grow quickly.