Factsheet S22: Basketry willows

Baskets have been used for millennia and remain one of the few everyday items which are still hand made, even if the cheap types usually found for sale are mass produced using moulds for uniformity. In temperate regions, the most common materials used for basketry are stems from willows (Salix spp.) and this article concentrates on the cultivation of willows for to produce basketry materials. Willows are some of the easiest plants to grow and only a small patch is needed to supply the needs of a family and garden.