Which willow seed varieties are good? What are the seedling raising methods?

Willow is the general term for Salix plants such as Salix matsudana (dryland willow), Salix chaenomeloides (glandular willow), and Salix babylonica (weeping willow); its varieties are numerous, and willows grow in high mountains, plains, sand dunes, and polar regions alike, mainly distributed across the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The garden value and economic value of willow are outstanding, and since ancient times it has also been one of the favorite tree species of scholars and writers, and with the rapid development of the nursery stock market, more and more people are planting willows. So which willow seed varieties are good? What are the seedling raising methods? Let's find out together.

Which willow seed varieties are good?

There are many varieties of willow seeds, and there is no uniform answer as to which one is better; in short, the one that suits you is the best, and of course the production area environments suited to different willow varieties also differ greatly. For example, Salix babylonica (weeping willow) is found throughout China, and has been introduced in many countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas; Salix fragilis (crack willow) is native to Europe, has been introduced in Northeast China, and is produced in Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, and Tibet, China and other places; Salix chaenomeloides (glandular willow) is produced in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River basin and southern Liaoning Province, and is also found in Korea and Japan; Salix cavaleriei is produced in Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Sichuan, China, and so on.

What are the seedling raising methods?

1. Seed collection

Willow blooms in March-April and the fruit ripens in April-May. The seed yield rate of willow is generally 2%-4%. When the capsules turn from green to light yellow and a few tips split open and release fluff, collection should be carried out promptly. Because willow seeds very easily lose their germination capacity, they should be sown as soon as they are collected. 

2. Sowing

Seedbed sowing is generally used. Before sowing, the seedbed should first be given enough bottom water. At the same time, soak the seeds in clean water until they swell, then mix them with warm sand, and sow after mixing evenly. Both drilling and broadcasting are acceptable.

3. Post-sowing management

After sowing, cover with soil sifted through a fine sieve, to the extent that the seeds are no longer visible. In places without wind-sand damage, soil covering may also be omitted; after sowing, press lightly, then spray with clean water so that the seeds settle and are in close contact with the soil. If there is wind-sand damage or severe drought damage, branches can be inserted at the edge of the bed for shading and wind blocking. 

4. Seedling stage management

If temperature and humidity are suitable, seedlings generally emerge 2-3 days after sowing. After emergence, attention should be paid to water management, keeping the bed surface moist, and at the same time attention should be paid to shading so that the seedlings are not sunburned; the rest of the management is the same as for poplar. Willow production areas often have rivers and ponds, and the seeds often drift and fall with the willow catkins at the water's edge and in wet areas, then naturally germinate and grow into seedlings.

Overall, willow seeds are small and mostly dark brown, and the habits of each variety are not the same, so seed selection is very key and more conducive to germination and strong seedlings. At the same time, combined with scientific seedling raising techniques, willow can grow and develop well.

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