Diamond Willow Tree Views

General Goods

In my experience there are 4 or 5 species of willow that grow cankers in response to the fungus. The cankers seem to result from the tree h"growing away from." the site of attack. This usually happens at the crotch of a branch on a larger branch or main stem. If the branch is relatively small it seems to die very quickly. If the branch is larger, it may continue to grow and the "diamondr" is formed on the branch and the stem. By growing away from the fungus, I mean that new layers of growth occur further and further away from the site of the fungal attack. Thus the affected area gets larger and deeper. If the tree has been affected in several places close together, then the diamonds

The diamonding is usually found with a branch at its center or is found in the Y of a tree. Diamonding in willow does not seem to be specific to an area that willows grow in, and where one bunch of willow will have diamonds, the next clump of willows may have none at all. Although diamond willow is often thought of as being a northern phenomenon, of the boreal forest, there is mention of diamond willow growing as far south as Missouri.

Diamond Willow TreesDiamond willow is not found on Vancouver Island. My diamond willow walking/hiking sticks and canes are made from diamond willow trees imported from other parts of Canada. Diamond Willow is found in the northern part of the province of British Columbia. I also obtain diamond willow pieces suitable for making my walking sticks, hiking sticks and canes from the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.Apparantly the diamonds are a result of a fungus and not cold climates as was the theory in the past. This formation of diamonds is not unique to one type of willow thus all so called diamond willows are not necessarily the same tree type. Learn more about Diamond Willow Trees Want to know more about Diamond Willow Trees

Diamond willow is not a separate species of willow; rather, it is apparently the result of attack by one, Valsa Sordida Nitschke, and possibly more types of fungus. It is thought that 7 species of willow grow cankers in response to the fungus. However because some willow species hybridize in the wild, proper identification is difficult. Cankers, or diamonds, form as a result of the tree's response to the fungus.