I live in Southeastern NC - they grow wonderfully here - although there aren't many around. I wish I could give you some - I have tons of cuttings all with new growth that I don't know what to do with. I'll gladly give many away to anyone who would enjoy them. The first time I ever encountered these was a few years ago - my brother-in=law picked up a variety of trees from a local nursery to plant at his new house. He has a natural stream that runs alongside his property, and we planted a tiny corkscrew willow on the edge. That was probably 5 years ago - that thing is already enormous. As far as bonsai - I don't know how well they will turn out. It's fun to experiment, they are just so unique it's hard to know how to style them properly.

Hi kids,
This is the willow bonsai that kind of inspired me. It's not a corkscrew willow but it's a willow. This is why I want to cut a big branch this spring.

Hi Bensai,

I think the best way to style these unique trees is to sit back and simply look at each tree (one at a time, of course) whenever you can and allow your creative juices to flow. It will come to you as the uniqueness of each tree guides you to it's natural style. ;D

Hmmmm.....I wonder if the cuttings would survive through the mail in a bubble wrap envelope? I could pay for the postage at this end (if the postal service allows) or send you the cost of the postage. Wuddya think?

Pinkham wrote:

Hi kids,
This is the willow bonsai that kind of inspired me. It's not a corkscrew willow but it's a willow. This is why I want to cut a big branch this spring.

That is a sweet looking Willow Bonsai, Lance. This is the reason I hope to acquire a Willow-leafed Fig! That would be sooo cool!

I like it. I just discovered a huge black willow growing near my office on the bank of a pond. It grows in a very broad broom style - no weeping to it. I took a small branch and cut it into 3 pieces, stuck it in a cup of water and bingo - roots everywhere. I wish all trees would root this easily!

I would be willing to do that Leslie - however, lately, something is happening to them. I'm getting some dying on the new leaf ends all of a sudden. I have a nursery here interested in some too - but I need to nurse them a little until I'm sure they will survive. Any advice?

Bensai...are the ones with yellowing leaves still in water or are they planted in soil? Check here about yellowing leaves: www.bonsaiempire.com/care/pests-diseases Does this help? If you need more info. let me know. ;)

Bensai,
The leaves dying is probably a reaction to the change in the cutting environment. Normally when you take a cutting you reduce the leaves so the tree will use more energy producing roots rather than supplying nutrients to the leaves.
Willows are very hardy. Even if all the leaves fall off, don't give up on them.

thanks for the replies - I think I found the problem - fungus gnats. I've got the little suckers everywhere in my willows - and after reading up on them, they sound like the culprit. They do minimal damage to trees - unless the trees are very young and unestablished, such as my trees. The leaves start turning black on the tips all over the tree, and then the trunk starts to die eventually. Some of them I have been able to at least slow down the progression, and possibly save them - but at this point I have lost about 6-8 trees. Since they don't do the cold weather well when they are young, they have been in my front bedroom to get a good supply of Eastern sun, and a few are doing well. I have had some luck with a Pyrethrin spray, but the gnats have an 8 day life cycle, and manage to do nothing but breed in that time, so it's difficult. Basically, I juts have to limp through the rest of Winter and hope for the best I guess.

That's a tough problem to try and control with cuttings. Fungus gnat larvae like moist conditions. In order to get rid of them it is suggested that you let the potting medium to dry out between watering. Obviously that isn't possible with cuttings because the roots need to be moist all the time.
I hope you have them separated from other trees or plants.