Propagating a Weeping Willow Tree

Question:

How do you start new trees from an existing Weeping Willow tree?

Jeff

Answer:

Jeff,

Willows contain a plant hormone that promotes rooting so they are easy to propagate. A cut branch can actually be stuck directly into moist soil in the summer and roots will develop after only a few short weeks. To root other times during the year, you can start them in a vase of water and transplant them outside in the spring. Use cuttings that are about 1/2 to 1 inch thick in diameter and about 12 - 16 inches long. You can pound them into the ground with a rubber mallet until only a couple of leaf nodes (1-2 inches of the cutting) remain above the ground.

You can also tie bundles of cuttings together (each about as thick as a pencil and about 3 feet in length) and lay them horizontally in shallow trenches. This will create a dense "fence" effect as the cuttings sprout. Remember that willows are invasive and grow massive roots. Keep new cuttings well away from driveways and sidewalks, foundations and septic systems.