Weeping Willow Tears

S. Peck
Mar 29, 2016
2 min read

Well with some research from the google I'm taking a stab at making our own root compound for our cutting starts.

The way that it works can be attributed to two acids that can be found within Willow species, namely, indolebutyric acid (IBA) and Salicylic acid (SA).Indolebutyric acid (IBA) is a plant hormone that stimulates root growth. It is present in high concentrations in the growing tips of willow branches. By using the actively growing parts of a willow branch, cutting them, and soaking them in water, you can get significant quantities of IBA to leach out into the water. Salicylic acid (SA) (which is a chemical similar to the headache medicine Aspirin) is a plant hormone which is involved in signalling a plant’s defences, it is involved in the process of “systemic acquired resistance” (SAR) – where an attack on one part of the plant induces a resistance response to pathogens (triggers the plant’s internal defenses) in other parts of the plant. It can also trigger a defense response in nearby plants by converting the salicylic acid into a volatile chemical form.When you make willow water, both salicylic acid and IBA leach into the water, and both have a beneficial effect when used for the propagation of cuttings. One of the biggest threats to newly propagated cuttings is infection by bacteria and fungi. Salicylic acid helps plants to fight off infection, and can thus give cuttings a better chance of survival. Plants, when attacked by infectious agents, often do not produce salicylic acid quickly enough to defend themselves, so providing the acid in water can be particularly beneficial.Willow water can be made from cuttings of any tree or shrub of the willow family, a group of plants with the scientific name of Salix. The more cuttings that are used and the longer they are soaked in water, the stronger will be the resulting willow water.

We are using about 3 cups of willow cuttings in 2 gallons of hot boiling water for 48 hours. We used a 2 gallon food grade bucket with screw on lid. we will then bottle with a fresh sprig in the bottle which are all upcycled. It can sit on a shelf for 2-5 years if stored in a cool dark place. You can purchase it in our store for a low price.