Curly Willow Cuttings: Beautiful Arrangements, Not Houseplants—Root Them for the Garden

Curly Willow Cuttings: Beautiful Arrangements, Not Houseplants—Root Them for the Garden

Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa' (curly/corkscrew willow) is a deciduous tree, not a houseplant.

Why It Fails Indoors

• Requires winter dormancy (cold, leafless).
• Needs full sun, wind, seasonal cues.
• Indoors: etiolated, weak, pest-prone, no dormancy = death.

What To Do Instead

1. Enjoy in vase (water, change weekly) – lasts weeks.
2. Root in water: 6–8" cuttings, nodes submerged, bright light. Roots in 2–3 weeks.
3. Plant outdoors spring: full sun, moist soil, space 15–20 ft.
4. Use dried branches in arrangements – stunning architecture.

Garden Value

Fast-growing (3–5 ft/yr), 30–40 ft tall. Winter interest: contorted branches against sky. Spring catkins. Hosts pollinators.

Root the cuttings; plant the tree. Indoor vase is temporary beauty.