Willow Weaving Rods

Dry (Brown) Willow Weaving Rods are sold by Willow variety, length (in one foot increments) and then by weight.

This can be confusing for newcomers to buying willow.

‘Brown’ refers to willow that is dried after harvest with the bark left on for use in weaving work. The actual colour of the rods vary by the variety of Salix that you choose.

Please ask for more information if this does not make sense to you.

Brown willow weaving  rods need to be soaked in water for 2 to 6 days depending on their  length before they are flexible enough to make items with. The dry rods need to be re-hydrated in a water bath, trough , stream or pond for approximately 1 day for every foot of length.

The length of the soaking process does vary by both the temperature of the bath and the thickness of the rods in the bundle. So soaking your willow will be faster in summer than in winter, with winter frost or freezing to be avoided as this could ruin your willow.

Purchase prices and inventory are displayed by 1 pound (lb) bundle.  This is a long-standing willow  industry practice.

Short length (3 foot) rods generally will have between 30 to 60 rods per pound weight depending on variety and 6 foot rods generally will have between 15 to 35 rods per pound weight depending on variety.

As a guide, it takes roughly 80 to 100 3 to 5 ‘ rods to weave a shopping basket, so between 2 and 3 lb’s of willow.

These dried( brown), willow weaving rods will not produce viable plants as propagation sources, since the drying process ends their suitability for that purpose.  If you wish to purchase living willow rods for planting purposes, Strobe Willows do have supplies of tall living willow rods for sale in the spring each year.

Note that willow weaving rods must be picked up by Strobe Willows customers at the farm in Port Alberni. You could of course arrange for a courier to package and ship this product but this is very expensive and long- range sales are not the aim of our business.

2025 was an excellent growing year at Strobe Willows. As of April 2026 we have  willow weaving rods in only 5 varieties for sale.