Basket Willows safe?

[Secuono]

I found 'basket willow varieties' when I was searching 'sprouting willow whips' and they have many colors of these. I am wondering if this plant is rabbit safe, it would be very easy and perfect to grow these for rabbit feed. The branches being young and thin, they would be eaten almost all the way.

 

[UK-backyardbunnies]

I don't know of any poisonous willow variety - just double check the stems aren't dyed or anything. Willows come in all kinds of colours, but you'd be amazed at what gets coloured to make it sell!

 

[MaggieJ]

What is the Latin name for the basket willows, CnB? That is the only way you can be certain.

 

[Secuono]

Well, theres about 400 of them and many are used for making baskets, I don't think there's an actual willow that's called basket willow.

 

[MaggieJ]

True willows belong the the Salix family and should have that as the first word in the Latin name. For instance, weeping willow is Salix babylonica and white willow is Salix alba.

As far as I know, all members of the Salix family are safe for rabbits. If you want to post the link to the website you plan to buy from, I will try to help.

I think I may have found your website.
http://www.bluestem.ca/willows-basketry.htm

Notice how all the willow cultivars start with S. for Salix. They should be fine for the bunnies.

 

[Secuono]

http://www.dunbargardens.com/willowcuttings.htm




What about these plants?
Miscanthus giganteus
Energy cane

 

[MaggieJ]

Those basket willows at Dunbar Gardens are all Salix family, so should be fine.

I googled Miscanthus giganteus but found no information on using it as a livestock forage. It is sometimes dried, chipped and used as horse bedding or as a mulch and it is up-and-coming as a biofuel. You could do a more extensive search... some more information may turn up.

 

[Miss M]

ooooooOOOOOOOoooooooooooo... that Miscanthus giganteus might be just the thing to hide my one neighbor's unsightly yard!

I have thought of planting bamboo or something like that. :twisted:

 

[MaggieJ]

You can feed at least some bamboo types to rabbits. To me this makes it a better bet than Miscanthus giganteus - unless you can find a use for it.

 

[Secuono]

Running bamboo needs to be planted responsibly, otherwise, you can face legal issues for it taking over neighbor yards. Clumping bamboo is a better choice. But bamboo is pricey, most is $70 a 2gal bucket anywhere near me.


They also have giant pampas grass, one that will seed and one that cant reproduce, a bit prettier for a living fence.

 

[Marinea]

The miscanthus is chinese silver grass. I did some reading, and it IS edible. It is a common cattle grass in Asia. The seeds are also bird feed. It does appear that it is NOT a grass you want to dry, just use it as a green fresh feed.

 

[Miss M]

Yes, I know that some bamboos are very invasive, and I'm not interested in that. I've really mainly been considering planting forsythia, since it grows big and full like old-fashioned azaleas, but are safe to eat (in case a future goat got loose). Only problem is, they're deciduous. So I'd still see the mess in the winter. :roll:

Is there a shrubby willow? They're decidous, too, but... oh, wait, I can't put willow over there. It'd get in my septic system.

 

[3mina]

If there's a fence between you and the mess how about hops? They grow fast and down where you are they'll never die back. Up here they keep their leaves rather than dropping them even after it freezes.

 

[Miss M]

Hops... rabbits can eat those, can't they? :thinking:

Do they have invasive tendencies?

*Off to look at hops*

 

[3mina]

Any 'green fence' I've seen from hops has stayed where it was planted and they'll go up as high as you have support for them. I have no idea about feed possibilities. I like them to keep my dogs from peeking through the fence and barking at what's in the other side.