Seed – Desert Willow

Description

Planting/Growing Discussion:

First let us say that you must be very careful when buying seeds of desert willow. Seeds are only viable for 1 year and most that are sold online are old and may not germinate. This is an herb suggested by Dr. Stephen Buhner, as it is mentioned in many of his books. It just so happens to be one of my personal all-time-favorite plants! My desert willow tree is 3 yrs. old and it is already around 10 ft. tall, with many branches. It started to produce its flower already! I just adore this plant and love growing them.

Desert Willow, Chilopsis linearis, is highly medicinal, highly sought out, and very rewarding to grow. It is native to the southwestern, US and Mexico. Some experts say that in its natural habitat, it may be an indication that a supply of water is nearby.

Desert Willow grows well in zones 5-11. It is drought tolerate, requires little care, and sparks any landscape up with a elegance and enchantment. Zones have been debatable because before recently, they were thought to be categorized in warmer zones, until they were reported to grew well in cooler zones.

 Sow the seeds in a full sun spot, just below the soil’s surface and keep them moist until they germinate, which only takes a few days in the right conditions. It requires no scarification and the seeds are readily viable with a high germination rate. If you wish to stratify it by putting it in wet sand for a few days, that is acceptable but not required. It can be planted in the spring, sowing the seeds 1/4 inch deep, and keeping it moist until it appears, up to 3 weeks later. They should sit in pots until the next spring, to be transplanted. It will begin produce flowers in its 2nd year, getting fuller and more plenty with age.

Desert willow can grow up to 30 ft. tall and 25 ft. wide, once it begins to grow, it may need a stake for support and it can be pruned into a tree shape. It has a long leaf that willows are known for, but larger. It produces a long seed pod, following the flowers, that can get as long as 1 ft. long. Once the seedpod turns brown, in later summer to early fall, they are ready to be harvested. Each seedpod contains hundreds of seeds that have a feathery clump attached to both ends, to help it disperse by the wind. Once the seeds are removed, they are ready to return to the soil to create another tree. They are best if used in the spring following their harvest. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and insects such as bees love desert willow too!

We carry Desert Willow tinctures, colloidal tinctures, glycerites, elsewhere on this site. To purchase one, or to read about the possible benefits of Desert Willow, Click Here.