When to take cuttings Of Salix x boydii??

[James R.]

I would like to take cuttings of my Salix x boydii and was wondering if anyone has had a bit more experience with this Salix. The last time I took cuttings of it I only got one to grow (maybe that is all I can expect?). I don't know if I should take Hardwood cuttings, softwood cuttings or what. I thought about taking some now and keeping them in my greenhouse in the misting system. Any recommendation's would be good. Thanks

[Hoy]

I have no experience with S. x boydii but other types of Salix. I always take hardwood cuttings in late fall and stick through a sheet of plastic in ordinary garden soil in my kitchen garden. Usually almost all root. I do not bother covering the cuttings, but they are stuck deep - 2/3 covered by soil.

[James R.]

Trond,
Thank you for the help, I love Salix x boydii it is so slow growing though that the cuttings are generally small no more than 6-8cm long at best. I tried to locate another one to buy but I have not been able to find another one. the same with the miniature Iris minutoaurea . But I keep on looking 

[Hoy]

By the way, I remember another approach with cuttings if you have few. You cleave the piece of stem you have in two halves and place the wounded side down and keep in place with a piece of wire stuck in the soil. I have not tried this on Salix but it should work.

[RickR]

Apparently both its parents (S. lanata, S. reticulata) root easily, so I would expect the same for S. ×boydii.  I don't have experience with either.  Hardwood cuttings, taken early to mid winter is optimal for most willows.  No additional hormones are needed for rooting.  Some willows, though they root easily, transplant with difficulty, so take care.

Regarding Iris minutoaurea, you might also find it under the name of Iris arenaria.  Send me a message around the end of April.  I should be able to fix you up with a division.  It certainly is a honey!

Iris minutoaurea

[Todd Boland]

I've rooted this one no problem in mid-July...I did use a mist chamber but I didn't use any rooting hormone.

[P.Schneider]

Salix Xboydii is listed in the 2011 ForestFarm catalog. I've had good luck with them. Good luck pauls.

[WimB]

Hi James,

I had a similar question about Salix moupinensis a couple of months ago and I got an interesting answer about trying cuttings on water, it would seem it's best if you try willow cuttings on willow water: you can see the response here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6160.msg170042#msg170042

[WimB]

Regarding Iris minutoaurea, you might also find it under the name of Iris arenaria.  Send me a message around the end of April.  I should be able to fix you up with a division.  It certainly is a honey!

Rick,

that's a particularly beautiful Iris of which I had never heard before. Does it set seed easily?

[McDonough]

It occurs to me there are no photos of Salix x boydii yet, so here's one.  When I lived in Seattle Washington, I bought my house from a elderly NARGS member, and he left behind troughs and rock gardens filled with goodies.  One was a trough with an ancient gnarled Salix x boydii.  It was large enough to take cuttings regularly, which I did, and while slow to root with some bottom heat, a good percentage did root.

Going back through my photos of garden visits in 2010, I came across this one of a young recently planted S. x boydii in Peter George's garden.



@Wim: regarding Iris minutoaurea, I hope that it's okay that I'm answering a question directed at Rick; I do get some sparse seed set on I. minutoaurea, the pods are prone to rotting off in hot humid weather and in some years no seed is successfully produced.  Here are a couple links to photos I posted on SRGC:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5627.msg156824#msg156824
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4736.msg128032#msg128032

[WimB]

@Wim: regarding Iris minutoaurea, I hope that it's okay that I'm answering a question directed at Rick; I do get some sparse seed set on I. minutoaurea, the pods are prone to rotting off in hot humid weather and in some years no seed is successfully produced.  Here are a couple links to photos I posted on SRGC:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5627.msg156824#msg156824
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4736.msg128032#msg128032

Mark, thanks for your answer. You can see I don't read all postings on the SRGC forum...I hadn't seen that posting (or I forgot).
Anyhow, it's a beautiful Iris. I'll have to try it....I'll put it on my want list as number gazillion and one 

[RickR]

Rick,

that's a particularly beautiful Iris of which I had never heard before. Does it set seed easily?

What Mark said.  Since Iris minutoaurea seed set is poor, I even tried hand pollinating last year - requiring a very nimble physique, it was quite difficult negotiating between adjacent plants in the garden, and down to the four inches (10cm) level.  The paucity of pollen grains didn't help matters, either.  And next year, I will try harvesting earlier.  I hadn't read that SRGC thread until later on, and I think I was waiting too long to pick the seed, also.

And jump in anytime, Mark!

[Lori S.]

An amazing iris!!

Salix x boydii is completely deciduous here... is it that way in warmer zones?  Having said that, it is very hardy with or without snow cover, showing only a bit of tip kill the odd time.
Here is a couple more views of it:




This has been a very useful thread, as it has just lately occurred to me that it would be an awfully good idea to have some backups to my single specimen plants.  

[James R.]

It loses its leaves here in zone 8 and we have only had temps down to 25F this winter. And thank you everyone for the info. Mine never root in my mist chamber, I will have to play with the timing.