Planting Poles | Can you use the method on other trees?

What makes Willow and Poplar so good at being planted as poles?

Are those traits present in other species?

What others could we plant this way?

Hi Sam and welcome to permies!

Willows and poplars are planted as poles because they root readily from branch sections. Other trees that do this (that I'm aware of, at least) are hazelnuts, some types of birch, figs, olives, apples, pears, quinces and cherries.  There are probably lots of tropical species that could also be planted this way.

Awesome, thanks for that Phil. Those would be great to plant that way!

I suppose testing is the only way to find out about the oddball trees.

Yep, trial and error is a good way to roll and you may find things that work in your setting that others struggle with.

For what it's worth, I've planted hundreds of willow poles or rods and probably have a success rate to date of 98%. I've done a few poplars but they were smallish whips...most of them took. I rooted a decent sized branch from a plum, and have no trouble with apple and cherry rootstock varieties, or figs. From there things get more failure prone in my experience: hazels have struck about 10% of the time, I still haven't managed with any of my olives, and Tasmanian blackwood only works if I start with a root sucker and keep a little root material intact.

Ok, that is exciting, there are enough figs around to try and I'll see what I can find apple/plum/cherry wise. Bummer about hazelnut but I suppose worth it if you have enough to material to start with.

Only just noticed your location. I'm in Coromandel, so can't be too different here.

Has anyone you know of tried any natives? Personally I'm after food, but the near the neighbors its best to not look too exotic it might scare them.

I've never had any luck with apple or Hazel rooting from cuttings, these may be worth trying as layering though - see this thread where Philip Heinemeyer shared his method of layering Gevuina avellana. Alternatively the way that apples and hazels are commonly propagated is by stooling - Michael Cox gives a nice explanation here: where the tree is coppiced and the new shoots buried at the bottom so they still get the nutrients from the main tree as new roots form.
I did get some new plants from grapes - it happened the first time by accident - I'd cut the grape bunches off complete with their branches and stuck them in a large glass of water to try and keep them a bit longer and several of the branches rooted! I haven't had so much success trying to do it deliberately mind you, and figs, which are supposed to be easy from cuttings failed completely.

(edited to add link)

Coromandel! Kia ora! I've got some figs that came to me from friends who live near the tip of the peninsula past Colville. Apples, cherries and hazels will give better results if you use a layering technique like Nancy suggests.

My best luck with natives is definitely Griselina. It roots easily and is hardy in a range of conditions, and will grow into a dense hedge or shelterbelt if you need to block the wind or view. I've had some success with mapou/matipo by digging shoots when they were still small and keeping some roots attached.

Thanks Nancy! I see I have some homework, I haven't looked at those methods before.

Kia ora Phil. I've seen a few figs up there, small world. I will have to try the Griselina and mapou/matipo too.

For the difficult to shoot hard wood cuttings, try to strike by inserting a skewer in a potato and insert the hardwood cutting, having dipped it in honey.  The honey assists with stopping bacteria.  Once the cutting starts to grow, pot up and water then leave.  The potato acts as the food reservoir.

Sam Isaac wrote:What makes Willow and Poplar so good at being planted as poles?

Are those traits present in other species?

What others could we plant this way?

Another thought on willow is that it contains high levels of natural rooting hormones. You can make a home made rooting lotion by macerating willow shoots in water see Jack Ostenbrink's post here: https://permies.com/t/170866/explain-active-ingredients-root-growth#1347733