Yes, and willows are probably the easiest trees of all to propagate. Restoration crews plant thousands of plain, unrooted willow sticks, called live stakes, along stream banks every winter, and most of them grow. The same approach works in a garden. You can also root willow from softwood cuttings in summer, or in a jar of water, but dormant hardwood cuttings are the simplest and most reliable method.

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The short answer: yes. Willows root readily from dormant hardwood cuttings and live stakes. Cut straight, healthy stems 18 to 24 inches long and at least 3/8 inch thick between late fall and early spring, before bud break (University of Washington). Push them into moist soil with at least half the length buried and a few buds showing. Plant as early in the dormant season as you can. Softwood cuttings taken in late May to early July also root well (Iowa State University Extension).

Three ways to propagate willow

Method	When	Size	Best for
Dormant hardwood cuttings and live stakes	Late fall to early spring, before bud break	18–24 in long, at least ⅜ in thick	Most gardens, banks and wet spots
Softwood cuttings	Late May to early July	4–6 in tips	Starting plants in pots
Rooting in water	Late winter to spring	12–18 in	Small numbers, kids’ projects

Method 1: dormant cuttings and live stakes

The University of Washington’s guide to live stakes recommends collecting cuttings while the plant is dormant, generally from late fall through early spring before bud break. It suggests stakes 18 to 24 inches long and at least 3/8 inch in diameter, cut from long, upright branches. Thicker stems hold more stored carbohydrate to feed the new roots and shoots. Discard the soft tip ends.

NC State University’s live stake guide suggests stakes about 2 feet long and roughly thumb-thick, with an angled cut just below a leaf node at the bottom end. The angled end goes into the ground, and it also helps you remember which end is up. A cutting planted upside down will not root.

Planting:

Soak the cuttings in water for a day before planting if they have dried at all.
Make a pilot hole with a bar or rod in firm soil so you do not strip the bark.
Push the cutting in so at least half its length is buried. UW notes that deeper may be better, as long as a few buds at the top are exposed.
Firm the soil around it and water well.

UW recommends planting live stakes in the dormant season, as early as possible, so they have more time to form roots before the leaves open. It notes that rooting hormone can speed rooting, though willows often root without it. If you must collect ahead, UW notes stakes can be stored outdoors in cold weather, but harvesting just before planting is better.

Method 2: softwood cuttings in summer

Iowa State University Extension lists willow among the trees that root from softwood cuttings, taken from late May through early July. Use 4- to 6-inch shoot tips, strip the lower leaves, dip the base in rooting hormone and stick them about 2 inches deep in moist sand, perlite or vermiculite. Cover with a clear bag and keep them in bright, indirect light. Willow softwood cuttings usually root within a few weeks.

Method 3: rooting in water

A willow stem in a jar of water on a windowsill will often grow white roots within a few weeks. Change the water every few days. Pot or plant it once the roots are an inch or two long, and keep the soil constantly moist at first. Water-grown roots are fragile and adapted to water, so expect a short pause in growth after planting. Our guide to growing a willow from a branch covers this method in more detail.

Which willows root best

Most willows, including weeping willow (Salix babylonica), black willow, white willow and the shrubby willows used for stream banks, root easily from cuttings. The NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox notes that weeping willow grows best in full sun or partial shade and very moist soil, which is also what new cuttings need.

Before you plant: choose the spot carefully

A rooted willow cutting can become a large tree quickly. The NC State Plant Toolbox warns that weeping willow’s invasive roots can damage water and sewage pipes. Keep large willows well away from drains, septic systems and foundations. Our guide to how far a willow should be from a house gives distances, and when to plant willow trees covers timing for rooted plants.

Aftercare

Keep the soil around new cuttings moist through their first summer. The Morton Arboretum recommends about an inch of water a week for new plantings on well-drained soil, more in hot, windy weather. Mulch around the cutting to hold moisture and keep grass away. Rub off all but the strongest one or two shoots if you want a single-trunk tree. For long-term care, see how to grow willow trees.

Sources

Collecting, Storing, Installing and Caring for Live Stakes, University of Washington, Restoration Plant Propagation
Live Stake Installation Guide, NC State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Propagating Shrubs and Trees from Softwood Cuttings, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Salix babylonica (Weeping Willow), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Caring for New Transplants, The Morton Arboretum

Top photo: AlaskaNPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Willow Propagation: Cuttings, Live Stakes and Timing