Propagating Salix moupinensis

[WimB]

A friend of mine is growing Salix moupinensis and she was wondering how to propagate it.
Would it be best to take cuttings and root them in water? Or does this species set seed?

It would be very nice if anyone could answer this queqtion.

Thanks

Wim

[Lesley Cox]

I can't answer the question specifically Wim, but it is always worthwhile to try some cuttings in water. Even x Boydii and reticulata will root this way and then I pot then into a gritty mixture when they have about 1cm of visible root. Salix from seed are very slow and the seed has almost no viability over time as well as appearing just as little bits of fluff, not easy to see if seed is actually there anyway.

If I haven't contacted you about your Pinguicula seed in the past, it was because nothing germinated, but just this week, there is one seedling of P. grandiflora! I'm very pleased as you can imagine. It is all of 2mm across.

[Lesley Cox]

To add a little to the above question, willow cuttings root best in willow water, i.e. water in which willow twigs have been left to soak for a few days. Any species can be used, such as ordinary "pussy" willow or a golden willow or the twisted one or I use S. melanostachys because that's what I have. I leave the twigs in the water for about 4 days and remove them and throw them away before they root. Then I put my preferred cuttings into that water, topping it up as necessary. Most species will be rooting within a week.

[WimB]

I can't answer the question specifically Wim, but it is always worthwhile to try some cuttings in water. Even x Boydii and reticulata will root this way and then I pot then into a gritty mixture when they have about 1cm of visible root. Salix from seed are very slow and the seed has almost no viability over time as well as appearing just as little bits of fluff, not easy to see if seed is actually there anyway.

If I haven't contacted you about your Pinguicula seed in the past, it was because nothing germinated, but just this week, there is one seedling of P. grandiflora! I'm very pleased as you can imagine. It is all of 2mm across.

Glad to hear the Ping seed is germinating. I'm not sure when I send them but it was probably in your winter(?) So they should be germinating now (in spring) indeed. If you have one others will follow soon. Did I send you P. vulgaris seed too? They are a bit slower to germinate.

[WimB]

To add a little to the above question, willow cuttings root best in willow water, i.e. water in which willow twigs have been left to soak for a few days. Any species can be used, such as ordinary "pussy" willow or a golden willow or the twisted one or I use S. melanostachys because that's what I have. I leave the twigs in the water for about 4 days and remove them and throw them away before they root. Then I put my preferred cuttings into that water, topping it up as necessary. Most species will be rooting within a week.

Thanks for the advice about the willow water, I had never heard about that before...

[Lesley Cox]

Wim, so far there is just the one seedling and I see I sowed both species in January 2009, so getting on for 2 years ago! The one is at the side of the pot where the (originally dried, apparently dead) spaghnum I sowed them on, hasn't become so thick. Otherwise, both pots are bushy and green with new spaghnum, like a thick, shagpile carpet, maybe too think for the tiny seedlings to penetrate?

[WimB]

Wim, so far there is just the one seedling and I see I sowed both species in January 2009, so getting on for 2 years ago! The one is at the side of the pot where the (originally dried, apparently dead) spaghnum I sowed them on, hasn't become so thick. Otherwise, both pots are bushy and green with new spaghnum, like a thick, shagpile carpet, maybe too think for the tiny seedlings to penetrate?

Hmmm,

that's strange. They normally germinate quite rapidly after sowing and after their first cold period. The new spaghnum-carpet is probably too thick indeed for the young plants to germinate, maybe you can shear it  The older plants normally have no problem with this. Next year I'll have fresh seed and if I remember I can send you some more.

[ruweiss]

Lesley, thank you so much for the good advice about the propagation of willows,
I will try it myself in the next time. It is quite unusual for plantswomen(men) to
publish their secrets, and it is so kind of you to share your enormous knowledge
with us.

[Lesley Cox]

Thank you Rudi, for your kind comments. In - I have to admit it - 62 years of gardening (I started with pansies and poppies when I was 5!) I have picked up the odd scrap of useful information. Unfortunately I have now forgotten much more than I currently know, if you know what I mean.

I have no respect or admiration for those people who keep to themselves either the information or, indeed, the plants themselves when they can be shared so easily and often with profit to all. There is nothing truer than that if we lose a plant, it's good to have given it away beforehand so we can replace our lost one. I don't think  it matters whether the plant is given or sold - after all, nurseries have to survive - but it does matter that we share what we have, just as we would if our neighbour lost all his possessions in a fire or flood. Forumists have been very generous to me with seeds from around the world and plants, locally. I'm not always able to repay but if I can I'm very happy to do so.