Weeping willow

[Megabunny]

This might be a dumb question, but with all the money we put into willow chews, are weeping willow trees the same type of willow that is edible that we could pick and feed, probably not as much as apple branches, but maybe dried and used through the winter?

 

[JackRabbit]

I’m going to jump in and add to Megabunny’s question — are there types of willow branches and leaves that are not OK for bunnies? Can willow be given to bunnies if its not dried?

[Megabunny]

Ah well said. Thank you. Ditto for me. Would really like to figure all this out and have tried to look it up on line with no luck

[jerseygirl]

I feed my bunnies willow fresh or dried. They love it!

There are thousands of species of willow. I thought all were fine for rabbits tbh. They eat willow in the wild. Especially the weeping as its foliage is accessible to them.

I have access to weeping and another non weeping form. I’m not entirely sure if its white willow or not. Some of the weeping a get a rust coloured mold or something so I avoid those unless its the new growth.

The other tree seems to be resistant to this so generally I pick from that. It gets its new growth later then the weeping so I’m still waiting on that!

The willow grows along the creeks here. I pick and wash it in big tub of water.

[Megabunny]

Ah. That’s great! I so miss apple branches from my previous home. They don’t grow here in the south…at least as far as I can tell. Thanks JG!

[JackRabbit]

Megabunny — we have apple orchards all over the place, but I’m always afraid things have been treated with pesticides. You should plant an apple tree or two of your own!

My buns overwhelmingly prefer willow, but weeping willow roots love to seek out underground plumbing (don’t know if other types of willow do that) or I’d plant one in my yard. I live in a subdivision and my lot is only 1/4 of an acre so pipes would not be hard to find.

[litheandgraphic]

Here is a quote from another site on this issue:

“All willows are fine, there are hundreds of species. It’s just some are higher in salicins than others but to date no one really knows how much of a negative effect high salicin levels from willow wood has on a rabbit. New growth from this year only will likely have the lowest levels of salicins (aspirin type chemicals) and the farmer at West Wales Willows who makes willow toys for bunnies and has a vet based there too, told me to chew the end yourself and find out!!

 He said if it tastes bitter then you’re ok. If it tastes horrendous and saps all the moisture from your mouth then the salicins are probably too high for buns. On certain willows they use they boil and strip the bark off but as far as I picked up from him, any willow is generally ok in moderation and as long as the new growth is used. I’ve given my two quite thick branches of corkscrew willow and they’ve been fine (it wasn’t even new growth).” (source)

[Bam]

JR, all willow roots “seek out” plumbing and mustn’t be planted too near a house. If you prune it lots and lots though, the roots won’t grow as big, the plant will be busy replacing the twigs/branches you cut off.

I didn’t know about the varying levels of salicine. There are so many types of willow (salix) and I do taste new types of willow-twigs that I give the buns, and they’re always bitter and I certainly wouldn’t want to eat them =)

My bunnies prefer apple though.

I too feed mine both fresh and dried willow and both are fine. Willow is seldom if ever treated with pesticides because it’s very sturdy and tough and naturally resistant to just about everything.

[Megabunny]

I think I live too far in a city for apple trees, if they can survive in this heat. I’ll have to ask at the local nursery. They were advertising New York apples at the store and I got excited. I am saving apple seeds to at least grow tiny trees that will feed Gus about one little snack, but I just like sprouting things. I’m weird. And I don’t care. There is one willow tree in the neighborhood maybe I can snitch from.

[JackRabbit]

I don’t imagine there are willow or apple trees that double as house plants (like ficus trees), but wouldn’t that be nice! I bet I could even remember to water them if they’re for the bunnies!

[Deleted User]

Well dumb ‘me’ planted a teeny tiny mulberry tree and was thrilled to learn that not only are the leaves nutritious for Henry, but we ALL get to enjoy the fruits. Where does the dumb part come in??? I planted it next to my clothesline along the path – I thought it would also shade my bedroom window, doing double duty. 2 years later it is huge, twice my height and I now have to hang all my clothes on the inner lines otherwise my clean clothes get stained from the berries! And when I walk to the clothesline, I have to tippy toe through the fallen berries otherwise my shoes end up stained and I walk it inside – dam!

If only I thought to plant an apple tree……..

[Megabunny]

Mulberry??? I’ll have to add that to my list.
I wasn’t going to try and grow an apple tree in my house, actually. I’m not that weird, JR ha ha ha ha Just enough to get a few leaves, then I’ll turn them over to the Gus monster. I did go out and buy things for a little Gus Garden…. pansies, ornamental cabbage (purple Kale), basil and parsley. I go out and pick those and use them as salad toppers for him, though I think I need to get a bigger Kale. They say everything grows down here except grass, and Tobyluv told me I might have better luck when I came here. I really want to grow dandelions and clover next summer, but maybe I could start that now?
More things to check into when I should be doing so many other things…like finding a job to help pay for Gus’ surgery.

[JackRabbit]

Megabunny — if there were small enough versions, I’d have a willow tree and apple tree inside! I used to have a ficus tree along with many indoor plants in front of a huge patio door back when I had a green thumb!

I have to laugh a little about growing dandelion — my husband spent years trying to get rid of the dandelions in our yard and now we have bunnies! I grew mint, thyme, and basil in large pots on my patio the year — watch out for a new mold that has appeared I the eastern states. Its called basil downy mildew and it appears on the underside of basil leaves.

[Bam]

Growing dandelions is really hilarious! I useed to be very annoyed by dandelions in my garden until I got bunnies. Then I grew fond of dandelions and now dandelions in my garden make me happy, not just the flowers but the entire plants =)

Andi, I’m still jeallous of your mulberry tree. It seems almost miraculous to me. There’s never been any fruit on my mother’s mulberry tree of 10 years. But at least it started to grow in a big way this summer, I think it’s almost doubled its size this year. But it’s still not a tree, it’s more of a twiggy shrub.

I don’t otherwise know what you could grow in a hot climate. Basil of course. Maybe lavender and rosemary?

[Megabunny]

Oh, I’ll watch for that mold! Thanks!
Wanna hear something really ridiculous? I tried to grow dandelions in a pot in NY (hubby fights them, I embrace them) and they wouldn’t grow!!!! That’s what a black thumb I have. I looked it up and it didn’t seem like the seeds had to be refrigerated for any length of time. But I’d like to check into it more sometime. At $4 a bunch, it’s a bit silly but Gus loves them so what can I do? They ARE HUGE from the store

[Bam]

I’ve never heard of anybody trying to grow dandelions in a pot before =) That’s hilarious!

B t w best of luck with Gus’ surgery tomorrow and many ((((())))) for him!

[Megabunny]

Yup. I think hubby figured that topped the list on my weirdness list!

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