Cathy, I don't know anything about rooting black willow (salix nigra), but you should probably cut off about 1/2" on the bottom of the stem. I've heard this is the way to go with hardwood cuttings. Then it will be able to take up water. The bottom is probably dried up by now, and it would be good to chop it off to see if it will do better rooting.

Anyone else have ideas?

Susan

Do yo have any rooting hormone? Or perhaps some SuperThrive? Or vitamin B? Add that to the water.

I sure hope you didn't get dead willow cuttings in the mail, Cathy! If they're still bendable, then they're undoubtedly still alive and hopefully you can successfully root them.
If I were you I'd keep them in water for a day or so, then pot them up in wet soil, put the pots in a shady place, and keep the soil wet. If you let them root in water, then when you go to pot them up or plant them out, they'll usually die - for some reason, plants that have been rooted in water don't "transfer" well.
I sure hope everything works out for you!
MissSherry

Speaking from experience here...don't just stick the ends in water. SUBMERGE THEM COMPLETELY IN NON-CHLORINATED, NON-DISTILLED DRINKING WATER. Let them float, if they want to, with just the barest bits above water.

They should rehydrate in a couple of days, if they are going to, and then you can add some Rootone or Schultz's or whatever is your root-prompter of choice.

Once the roots appear, add small amounts of very fine silt to the bottom of the container until the roots are happily ensconced in it.

After that, you can gently transfer the whole shebang (which should have leaves by then) to a VERY MOIST but not stagnant earth-based soil (not potting soil) and let it do its thing until it is obviously established and happy.

Only then can you really transplant it to the ground and expect survival and thriftiness.

Just my experience...

PA

Thanks everyone for your advice. I'm still not sure if they'll make it or not. I knew I was taking a chance with this one, as the person offers no replacements, but I wanted some Black Willow trees and saw these on ebay. I doubt if I'll get cuttings again like this through the mail. I remembered someone on here saying that they root easily in water and so I got them. I thought it would be a lot cheaper, but I might have ended up paying $9 for a bunch of dead twigs. I'll wait and see, but right now they aren't looking so great. I cut a little off the bottoms and soaked them in water for at least a day (our water is non-chlorinated well water) and then put them into a vase and I can't find my rootone. :( I've had a fever ever since Sunday evening and really don't feel like running all the day to Walmart for some. So I hope that they will be okay just in the water for now.

I have no idea if this is helpful so please forgive me in advance. willows grow wild everywhere around me. I don't know if they are sandbar willows, peach leaved or what exactly they are. I do know the viceroys use them. When I wanted willows in my garden I stopped on the side of the road near a ditch that I could get down the embankment of and cut about 7 new growth branches. I stuck them in wet perlite without any root stimulator. all the leaves dried up and died but I left them alone. two weeks later saw new growth and roots. I made a hole in a shady bed and put the entire contents, 100% perlite into it and kept it moist. my 7 trees are 2 years old and 5 feet high.I don't know if it is the type of willow. (weeds here) or the process or just dumb luck. I hope this helps.

Butterflyalley,
I suppose that there are even willows around here somewhere, but I wouldn't be able to identify them really. Oh yeah, you're right about the Viceroys using willows...I forgot about them. I think that makes 4 butterflies on my list of ones that I'd like to get here that use willows. I'm not sure if it's just black willows that they will eat. What you did is probably the best idea, to just go and cut some branches off somewhere rather than take a chance on buying dead ones on ebay, which I think is what mine are. I'll keep them in water awhile just in case they are alive, but when I tried bending them, they snapped right off, so I think they're goners...unless there might be one or two in there that just might be alive (I hope). So are your trees planted in their permanent locations? I'm glad you've had such good luck with them.

Cathy, I think they will eat other willows, too. I recall seeing posts on here from someone who had weeping willow and another dwarf willow that were utilized by the butterflies as a host. Check at the box stores to see if they have any broken branches they would let you have.

Susan

Thanks for telling me, Susan, and I'll do that. I hadn't been sure if they'd eat anything besides black, but now that you said, I know they will.

I planted my willows in their permanent location last august. before I moved I kept ALL of my butterfly plants in containers because I absolutely was not staying in that "starter" house. Since my garden has only been in the ground one year here I don't know if I will get the attention of the local butterflies soon enough for my impatience. I'm tempted to go to my friends down the road and stake out her willows that hang over the cliff of the Amite River.I'd have to borrow her boat. If you knew what I looked like you'd be laughing so loud at the thought of that. that is where I saw Viceroys ovipositing a few years ago. If you don't get your willows I would be happy to try and mail some. I have a plastic nursery vial thingy that holds water for a few stems. It was a recycled present from a student for teacher appreciation. I know what it is like to really want a plant and not be able to get it. i am now the proud owner of a tulip poplar a sassafras and a spicebush and I can finally stop longing.

Butterflyalley, Oh, I don't know if you can be more impatient than I am though. ;-) I see all these beautful butterflies that other people get and I want so much to be able to get them here at my place, but I guess I'll have to wait and see. I never real good at waiting. I'll tell you, I didn't have to wait at all for the Monarchs. I started my garden in late 2005, I guess too late for the Monarchs to lay eggs on the milkweed plants that I had bought (there were only two anyway). Last year I planted 26 Butterfly Weed and still had the two Swamp Milkweed from the year before. I ended up raising 70 Monarch cats to adulthood and released them and just loved it! I never dreamed that I would have that many so soon. I'm planting even more this year than I did last year and have learned so much here on the forum and know more now what to plant to get what butterflies. I'm trying to plant at least two host plants for the butterflies that I'd like to attract here, but then it's up to them to find me. I was hoping that the biggest my garden the better the chances of them finding my place. I'll have such great fun watching them this year! I shouldn't set my expectations too high though since it is just the first year for these perennials I just started indoors a week or so ago. I doubt if they'll be big enough to host anything this year. I did plant snapdragon seeds indoors to plant out in another few weeks, so I can always hope that some Buckeyes will come here and lay eggs on them.

I hope you can attract a lot this year. I got pretty many butterflies last year, my first year. I don't count 2005 because I was just starting to plant a few things in early September. Ha, yeah, that would be funny watching you get those willows from the boat. I'd almost be afraid to do that because knowing me I'd fall in the water. That is so very nice of you to offer to mail some to me. Let me see how I make out for sure and then I'll let you know if I need any. I'd hate for you to send some and then say later, "Guess what..." Wow, you must be really happy with those trees that you have. Best of luck getting cats on them!
Cathy

I've been meaning to ask for rooted black willow cuttings in the plant exchange forum but have been so busy lately. When I get caught up on my spring chores I will.
I think it's better to get any plant already rooted instead of trying to do it myself. I've had good luck rooting a few things but have had a lot of failures too.

Here's a post from last fall on starting willow from cuttings. You may have already come across it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Starting willows from cuttings

When we were kids and it was safe to eat fish out of the South Canadian River, we would go out and fish all night in the summer for catfish.

We would cut down small willows to use as rod holders and just stick them in the sand next to the water. All of them would root and have leaves on them the next time we went out again.

All they need are warm temps and moist sand:-).

I would be more than willing to root you a couple.

randy