Willow sticks: The different sizes and their uses

15 July 2025

At Musgrove Willows, we stock a wide variety of different types of willow, grown on our Somerset farm. Read on to find out a bit more about willow sticks and what they can be used for.

Willow sticks

Willow sticks are known for being thicker and stronger than willow rods. Whilst not suitable for weaving with, willow sticks are perfect for a variety of other projects.

Brown (dry) willow sticks

Brown (dry) willow sticks are suitable for outdoor work. The bark is left on the stick. Brown willow sticks can be used for uprights for square basketry, plant supports, garden edging, hurdles, and more.

Green (fresh-cut) willow sticks

Green (fresh-cut) willow sticks are also supplied with the bark left on and suitable for outdoor work. As the name implies, they are supplied green, which means they still have some degree of flexibility and can be bent into gentle curves. Green willow sticks are ideally suited for projects such as hoops for garden netting, and weaving around larger posts for bank revetment. Be aware that green willow sticks will shrink when they dry.

Buff willow sticks

We boil and then strip the bark from our buff willow sticks, leaving them smooth to the touch. Buff willow sticks are ideal for indoor work (as they have no bark to protect them from the elements) and they can be soaked quickly. They are also ideal for a number of projects where flexing and shaping are required, such as hoop handles for baskets, frameworks for sculptures, and lanterns.

Willow stick size guide

Although the diameter of willow sticks can fluctuate slightly from year to year, these sizes can be used as a general guide when selecting willow sticks to use for a particular project.

Please note: All sticks are approximately 8ft long and mostly sold in 10kg bundles (some 5kg bundles are also available).

Willow stick size	Uses
Extra small	– Structural support for sculptures – Large lanterns – Small plant climbers/cloches – Corner sticks for baskets or large basket handles
Small	– Structural support for sculptures – Large lanterns/lantern sticks – Medium plant climbers/cloches – Step-overs/hoops for garden edging – Corner sticks for baskets
Medium	– Large-scale sculpture supports – Very large lanterns – Large plant climbers/cloches – Hoops for netting/fleece over plants (fruit and veg) – Garden edging/small lightweight hurdle uprights
Large	– Large-scale structures – Hurdle uprights – Bank revetments – Trellis/garden fencing

We can help with all things willow

If you’re embarking on a willow project, we have the expertise to help. All our willow, including our willow sticks, is grown right here on our Somerset farm, where our family have been growing willow for over 100 years.

We also regularly host willow weaving courses on the farm, where you will be guided through a willow weaving project by one of our tutors. For more information about our courses and willow products, please get in touch with the Musgrove team.