Native Plants

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A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Sunday - June 13, 2010

From: Broken Arrow, OK
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Propagation
Title: Can trimmings from non-native globe willows be planted from Broken Arrow OK?
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

We have 2 globe willow trees in our back yard. We trim low hanging branches. Can we take these cut branches, -plant them and have it grow into a new globe willow tree?

ANSWER:

From a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer:

"Salix matsudana, globe willow, is a native of eastern Asia. Willows generally are fairly weak, short-lived trees, susceptible to many insects and diseases, as well as dropping a lot of litter. The globe willow is often infected with slime flux, a bacterial disease that is soil-borne."

At the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, we are committed to the growth, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. Because the non-native willow is out our range of expertise, we are providing you with some websites to answer your question.

New Mexico State University Starting willow trees from stem cuttings