I'm seriously thinking about planting a willow tree on the east side of my garden to provide a bit of shade in a VERY sunny area. It's also a sub-irrigated area, and someone suggested that a willow tree would do well there. Unfortunately, none of our local nurseries have any willow trees now, and with the price of gas, I'm thinking it might be worth it to just have one shipped to me. I understand they grow fast, so I was thinking of starting out with a smaller one, and also thinking that a smaller one would adapt more quickly than a big tree. Any suggestions?

I don't normally order trees online, but love the idea of a willow there. Think it should do good. Have you ever heard of
Whitney Gardens & Nursery in Brinnon, WA. They are supposed to be a good place to do business, and being in WA shipping should be reasonable, I would think. Here is a link to their website, if you want to check them out. http://www.whitneygardens.com/

we are going with Austree Willows. They do grow fast, can easily be started by cuttings too. The one place we found that had them for sure was www.windbreaktrees.com actually I will be putting in an order for them this next spring.

never thought about it, but the Arbor Day Foundation probably have them too. Seems like they have a lot of different kinds of trees and bushes anyway, but I'm sure if you order from the Arbor Day, they will be very small.

I did check the Arbor Day Foundation, and while they do have willows, they only show theirs as being hardy to zone 6. It's very confusing; some sites show the (supposedly) same tree as hardy to zone 2. I'll definitely check with that WA nursery! I stumbled across a nursery in GA that offered some really good prices, but I've never heard of them and somehow, getting a tree from GA to plant in WA seems just a trifle odd, to say the least!

No idea but I like willow trees -- very very pretty!

This past Friday hubby and I went rummaging. stop at this one house and walking up the side sidewalk I noticed this funny looking tree. Went through the sale and didn't buy anything as we were leaving I became obsessed with this funny looking tree with its corky leaves. Told hubby it must be a corkscrew something or other. Went back and asked her. She came back out with me and said yes that is a Corkscrew Willow. She had them in pots all over the place but the big one that fascinated me was in the ground. Said 3 or 4 years ago at a local grocer she had bought a bouquet of flowers and a sprig of it was in the bouquet. She said she put the bouquet in water and when she went to change it noticed it had taken root. She potted it up and babied it through winter and planted it out that spring. The one in the ground, 3 years old and it is pretty big. She cut off 3 larg cuttings for me and told me good luck............Brought them home and put them in water. If they don't root I'm out nothing, if they do I will have to find places next spring for 3 trees.

The stems are corky and the leaves too. Was just a very interesting tree............. Hers was planted where it gets morning sun and filtered shade during the afternoon. I have that. Some where on this property, I have to have that...................

Don't know if you've looked up any information on that corkscrew willow, but I just did 'cause you got me curious. You might want to read this page before you decide where to plant your cuttings (assuming they root! )
http://www.gardeningcentral.or...

Hey that is sooo cool!!!

I know the thing gets HUGE. But I read in a web site thhat you can prune them down to the ground every late winter like dogwoods. So that may be happening here. If I prune and they don't come back..........................I'm still not out anything. Just a bit of time. Some she has in big containers and she said they don't seem to be getting as big as the one she has in the ground. Another option to try. I've got three, if they all root, I've 3 options to try and see which fits best.

They do look cool! Good luck with your cuttings!

Love it! We have some sort of willows in our shade garden (big ones), and yes, the roots can run rampant... but, we've also learned that you can actually hack out large segments of roots that might be threatening house and home and those of us that are 'tripping prone' without damaging the tree at all. And by large segments, I mean like 8 foot long sections. Now I have DH Tony cut bits out whenever needed. And p.s. I love willow trees! I don't have a weeping willow yet, but I want one...

These cuttings are beginning to look a little sad, droopy........And the leaves are getting crusty so I took them out of the water and crushed to ends of the stems hopefully to aid in drawing water up better. That is what I 've done with forsythia I'm force blooming in late winter. A thing I was told to try by a fellow Cubiteer........................So thought why not try it on the willow.

Oh, good luck, Cece!

I'm beginning to thinks this willow is NOT going to survive. The book tells me you should only attempt the start cuttings in early spring.............................dad burn it anyway............

I don't know... willows are very hardy and vigorous. Finerliners on cubits often has baby willows for really cheap. But I'd wait and see... I bet it will be just fine. Sending willow growing vibes your way!

This willow had no leaves. That being said it has ROOTS!!!!!!!!!! Not major big ones, maybe about an inch or so long but they are coming along

Hooray!!!

Yea! Go willows!