Willow
What about the willow
itself?
| We asked an area expert about willow, and received a very interesting response. Carol T. Bradford writes a gardening column in the Syracuse Post-Standard's Home and Garden section. We asked her about the invasiveness of the type of willow that would have been used in the willow industry, and whether it was as invasive as Phragmites (the very tall grass that you can see along so many highways and at the edges of lakes and rivers). After looking at the Willow Museum website, she wrote this message in response to our inquiry about the invasiveness of the type of willow that would have been used in the willow industry: |
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"I enjoyed looking at the old photos of the weaving trade on your web site. Here's what I know about Salix purpurea:
The invasiveness will depend on the variety. The suckering is what you want, however, because that's what allows it to send up a nice crop of willow wands every year to be harvested.
The basket willow, S. purpurea, is native to Europe, North Africa and all the way across Asia to Japan. It is a shrub that generally grows 8-10 feet tall. There are many varieties that differ in qualities related to basket making, like how thick the wands are, what color they are, how easy they are to peel, split or weave, and so on.
'Nana' is an ornamental dwarf form of basket willow often seen in trendy garden magazines. It grows to about five feet tall and is often called the arctic blue leaf willow.
Another basket willow cultivar is 'Streamco,' which was introduced by the Soil Conservation Service for planting on banks to reduce soil erosion. This shrub suckers and layers. It's aggressive to the point of being invasive, but is useful in difficult sites.
Willows tolerate wet soil; they don't require it. They do need full sun. They are not generally competitive plants so new plantings have to be kept free of weeds. I doubt any willows are a match for Phragmites.
The American Willow Growers Network is a group that shares information and cuttings. Their primary interest is in the special varieties of S. purpurea that are grown for basket making. The group has a demonstration garden, holds basket making workshops and is interested in developing new uses for willows. Visit the web site or write Bonnie Gale, 412 County Road 31, Norwich, NY 13815 for information. I haven't spoken to her in a few years, but she's bound to know all there is to know about
cultivating basket willow. The plant maintenance involves cutting it back regularly to encourage the growth of the new shoots.Thanks for writing. Let me know if I can help with this interesting project.
Best wishes,
Carol T. Bradford
"And so it grows..."
c/o Home and Garden
The Syracuse Post-Standard
P.O. Box 4915
Syracuse, NY 13221
Willow growing in Central New York
Did you know that willow - dozens of acres of it! - have been planted right here in Central New York? Why?
Click on the image to see a larger version
on the SUNY-ESF website.
According to this Willow Biomass News,the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) has planted willow in the Tully area (south of Syracuse) to lay "a solid foundation for the development of an industry in the northeastern United States centered around willow biomass crops."
"The majority of land that was planted in 1998 is located in western New York in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. The properties are close to Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation's (NMPC) Dunkirk power station, which will be the primary market for the willow biomass. The plant will mix the biomass with coal and co-fire it to generate electricity. Smaller areas of willow will be established in Wayne, Onondaga, and Madison counties."
In his article, Environmental Benefits Associated with Willow Biomass Crops, Timothy Volk states:
"Willow biomass crops are an alternative, domestic, renewable fuel that can be used to meet increased energy demands while providing numerous positive environmental benefits. These environmental benefits occur at both the location where the crop is produced as well as at the power plant where the willow biomass is used to generate electricity."
"Willow biomass crops close canopy by
mid-June of the first
season after being cut back." From the Willow
Biomass News
More information on SUNY-ESF's choice of willow at the Why Willow site.
There's also a fabulous set of photographs of the willow growing in Tully at the Short-Rotation Woody Crops Program website.