Highlights
• Excellent for windbreaks, screens and hedges 
• Great for coppice fuel, logs and game cover 
• Early source of nectar and pollen for bees and other insects
• Size after 10 years : 5m x 5m
 
 
Description
Hybrid Willow makes an excellent screening plant due to its dense foliage in spring through summer due to an abundance of branches which still provide great cover even after the leaf loss in winter. Our hybrid willows will reach 6-7m (20 to 24 feet) in height after 3 to 4 growing seasons and then maintain this height whilst throwing up new shoots from the base to keep a thick bottom. They will not grow any higher than 8-9m and may be kept shorter by pruning. They make excellent windbreaks, screens, hedges (both woven & unwoven), coppice fuel, logs, and game cover and encourage wildlife. They are often used to stabilise river banks and improve landscapes. 
 
Which size to choose?
All sizes of cutting roots equally well as they have the ability to make roots from any part of the stem; if planted deeply, they will produce deep roots, which will always find moisture. However, some cuttings are better suited for certain situations than others.
 
• 30cm cuttings - Good for large-scale planting with a high standard of weed control required
• 60cm / 90cm cuttings - Good all-purpose cuttings for most situations, more energy than 30cm
•120cm / 180cm cuttings - Good for dry sites such as sands and gravels or on banks
 
Further information can be found here.
 
The rooted trees and longer cuttings will cope better with challenging conditions and weed or grass competition to give instantly visible results. See our bare root options here.
 
Planting Position
Planting may be carried out anytime between early November to mid-May and are suitable for any well-drained soil on sheltered or exposed sites, in either sun or partial shade. They are ideal in damp areas and are great for bank stabilisation.
 
Planting Instructions
The cuttings are quick and easy to plant, with a slanted base and a straight cut at the top, making insertion into the ground easier. They can be pushed into loose cultivated soil and firmed in. They will need no support. In firmer soils, make a vertical slit with a spade, push the cutting to the bottom of the slit, and firm well by treading. Alternatively, a narrow hole may be made with a bar or spike, and the cutting pushed to the bottom and firmed well. For larger-scale planting schemes, a mole plough or subsoil blade may be pulled through the ground in rows, and the cuttings pushed into the loosened soil slit and firmed in by foot.
 
You must ensure sufficient length below the soil level for strong root development. All the cuttings are vulnerable to competition for water and nutrients. Often, the reason for failure is the freshly planted cuttings have to compete with existing vegetation in the early stages while trying to grow new roots. It is always best to clear the area of any existing vegetation where possible and keep control of this during the first 18 months to give the plants the best chance of success.
 
For further information, see our planting guides here.
 
See our plant protection here. 
 
Attributes
Narrow spear-shaped leaves are greenish-yellow in spring, turning yellow in Autumn and dropping in winter. Slender greenish catkins in spring provide an important source of early nectar and pollen for bees and other insects, whilst the branches make good nesting and roosting sites for birds.
 
Please see our Willow and Poplar Varieties page for further information on the varieties of hybrid poplar available.
 
Alternatives to cuttings
As an alternative to the cuttings, we also sell bare root whips - these are effectively a year ahead of the cuttings as they already have a basic root in place and will Containerentially give you a slightly faster result. To help you choose - see the information on the Rooted or Unrooted. For more instant impact, we also offer two-year-old and multi-stem willow.