The harlequin willow from Japan, also known under the wonderful name Salix integra Hakuro Nishiki, impresses with its equally impressive appearance. Once you have fallen for the phenomenon, the appeal of owning another object is great. Luckily, you can save yourself the trip and expense of getting it from the nursery by propagating your harlequin willow yourself. You can find out how here.
The harlequin willow can be easily propagated by cuttings
Ways to propagate harlequin willow
- Propagation by seeds
- Propagation by offshoots
Propagation by seeds
Propagation via seeds is the most natural method, as it happens in the wild without your intervention. However, if you want to consciously increase your harlequin willow in this way, the process turns out to be more difficult than previously assumed. In order to get fertile seeds, you must be careful to get them from plants that have a willow of the opposite sex nearby. Otherwise the seeds will not germinate. If you have won the seed yourself, it has to be done quickly. The seeds of the harlequin willow cannot be stored, or only for a few hours, and must be placed in moist soil immediately after removal.
Propagation by offshoots
Propagation by offshoots is much more effective. Since the harlequin willow has to be cut back regularly, it makes sense to use the cut branches for propagation.
- fill a vase with clean water#
- put the clippings in the vase
- Small roots form after a short time
- once these have reached a sufficient diameter, plant the new plant in the desired location
The further care
In the first few weeks, you should water your harlequin willow regularly. Except for pruning, no further care is required.
Is refinement worth it?
Many nurseries propagate the harlequin willow via the grafting process. However, it is uncertain what properties the new plant will have in the end. Some of their characteristics differ greatly from those of the mother plant. Therefore, it is better to leave this procedure to a professional gardener.