How to grow Grey Willow
Grey willow, like other willows, needs no pretreatment at all, but the seed loses viability within days of release. Collection and sowing need to happen almost back to back, so it’s worth having pots or a seedbed ready before you go out to collect.
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Salix cinerea
- Family
- Willow (Salicaceae)
- Can seed be stored
- No — sow fresh
- Type of dormancy
- None
- Pretreatment
- None — sow within a day or two of collection
Quick links
Seasonal calendar
Year 1
- a Collect: Collect quickly once ripe - the fluffy seed disperses on the wind within days
- b Sow: Viable for only a few days after collection
- c Grow: Grown on until November, traditionally the start of the lifting and planting season, though this window has been shifting and shortening with a changing climate.
| Stage | Year | Month range | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collect | Year 1 | May to June | Collect quickly once ripe - the fluffy seed disperses on the wind within days |
| Sow | Year 1 | May to June | Viable for only a few days after collection |
| Grow | Year 1 | June to November | Grown on until November, traditionally the start of the lifting and planting season, though this window has been shifting and shortening with a changing climate. |
Picking
Willow seed is very light and fluffy, which makes it perfect for being distributed on the wind. This trait makes them difficult to collect though as there are no large berries or nuts to easily pull off the tree.
If you go down this route, seed can be collected in late May or during June before it’s blown away. Vacuum cleaners have been used for this! Alternatively, sensitive removal of a small branch or two with fruits still attached and just ready to release the seed makes life easier.
Extraction and storage
No further extraction is necessary (or possible because of the fine nature of these seeds).
Pretreatment
Willow seed is not dormant, so no pretreatment is required.
Sowing
The seed will only remain viable for a few days and should be sown immediately. It should be sown onto very well-prepared seedbeds or into fresh compost in pots. If you collected branches, push these into your seedbed at regular intervals so the seed, when released, will fall onto your soil.
Growing
Provided they receive enough moisture and are fed regularly (you can use a liquid or granular feed every 4-6 weeks until the middle of July), goat willow will grow quite fast. You might manage to produce a 50cm tall plant in one season (50-100cm tall from cuttings).
Goat willow grows in moist soil (although it will tolerate drier soil than most other willows), so it is important to provide plenty of water for the seeds and young plants. The seeds are tiny, so they cannot be allowed to dry out!
During the later part of the spring and into summer you can reduce the amount of water to the plants (unless nature has other ideas!).
Planting your new tree(s)
When your Grey Willow is tall enough, it can be planted into its new home. Prepare the site well by clearing away any weeds or grass and make a hole big enough to accommodate the root ball. Plant carefully in the hole, to the same depth as it was in the pot or ground, and firm back the soil. More tree planting details here.
