What size should the trees be?

The ideal trees should have at least 60 inches (152.5cm) of clean trunk, ideally 84 inches (213.5cm), from ground level to the first branches, having been trimmed of its side shoots throughout the trees life.

Trees are ready once they reach at least 58 inches (147.5cm) around the trunk at 4' 8 inches (142.3cm) from ground level.

All trees purchased and felled are always replaced with a top quality willow set.

Types of Willow.

There are numerous types of Willow tree, most of which cannot be used in the production of cricket bats.

We have, below, given a brief description of the the two main types of willow we come across on a regular bases, The Cricket Bat Willow which we can use and the Weeping Willow that cannot be used in any way.

Cricket Bat Willow.

The trees used in the manufacture of cricket bats is the Salix Alba Caerulea (Cricket Bat Willow).  This type of willow is very fast growing with a single straight stem.  It also has slightly larger leaves than normal white willow, being 10 to 11cm long and 1.5 to 2cm wide.  The leaves are also a more blue-green in colour.

Above a tree ready for felling.

Weeping Willow

Salix Babylonica (Weeping Willow) are a very common ornamental willow, grown for its very distinctive and decorative look, in the way that its foliage hangs down.

This type of willow is NOT suitable in the manufacture of cricket bats.  The wood is too dense and heavy to make a bat with.

©Steve Taylor

Weeping Willow