A Simple Guide to Willow Types Used in Wegnalls Willow Coffins and Baskets

I use a mix of buff and brown willow in my willow coffins, along with some white willow. But what is the difference? Read on to find out more.

Buff willow is made from Somerset willow that has been boiled, stripped and dried.
By boiling the rods with their bark on, the tannins soak into the core of the willow rod. Once the loose bark has been stripped off, it leaves a toffee colour rod which is smooth to the touch.
It is quite an intensive process requiring specific machinery, which is why I purchase it from a number of willow suppliers in Somerset.
Finally buff willow is what traditional ‘wicker’ products would have been made with, as shown in the buff coffins and shopping trolley below.

White willow is made from willow that has been cut in the winter and left to stand in water, usually until May when the rods have started to bud.
Once the sap rises in the rod and they’ve started to grow, the bark can be peeled. This can be done by machine or hand.
By stripping the bark, it leaves the creamy white willow core.
As it is only made in Spring with freshly cut rods, it is in limited supply, labour intensive to produce and the most expensive willow to purchase.
I mainly just use it for stripes of white, as shown in the coffin below.
It works well with both buff and brown willow to add contrast and interesting lines.

Brown willow is used to describe willow rods that have been dried after harvesting.
They are not all brown though. Colour ranges from brown to green, yellow, red and purple. Being a natural product, the colours can vary even in the same willow rod! For example, Brittany green isn’t just green. It’s generally a dark green / red / brown colour.
Brown willows still have their bark attached, rather than the stripped willows above. As such, these are generally darker, more natural looking and have a more natural texture than the stripped willow.
I grow, harvest and dry 20+ different varieties of willow, so there are lots of different colours, shades and textures of willow to choose from. (Varieties are dependant on seasonal availability.)