How can I know if the wood will work?

[Barend]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this primitive archery, and I have some questions. I live in an area where there isn't a wide variety of trees, and no one can help me identify the trees that we do have.

So how can I know whether or not the wood from a certain tree will make a good bow without having to chop it down or damage it too much? I have tried to do the necessary research, but it doesn't help if I don't know what trees it is.

And do you guys think that a weeping willow would make a good bow? I have read that english willow is used to make cricket bats, because of it's spring, and I was wonder if the weeping willow would have similar qualities.

[Lucasade]

I think someone said a year or so ago that willow makes lousy bows but good arrows?

[sleek]

Oak is everywhere. Any oak will do. Any nut or fruit bearing tree will work. Willow, leave it be. Mayne a good backing wood, but not a belly, and certainly no good as a self bow. It helps to have an idea where you live.

[Barend]

Thank you for your advice. I will definitely forget about the willow. I can get to oak trees, but they are all huge and illegal to do much more than trimming. I live in South Africa

[Limbit]

South Africa evidently has loads of bow wood. Mulberry, hackberry, chinese elm, several types of acacia and plenty of fruit orchards you could look around at for apple or pear wood after they do some trimming. should be easy.

[Marc St Louis]

Oddly enough I was looking up the working properties of the different species of Willow trees just the other day.  I was quite surprised to see that one species called Weeping Willow had wood as dense as Osage and I believe it grows in Africa.  That is still no guarantee that it will be good as a bow-wood but if it grew around here I would definitely try it.

[Del the cat]

 You can always try a small branch and make a miniature bow, it will give you an idea of the properties. If you can make a 25-30" bow that will punch out an arrow, it will work for a bigger bow.
It takes less wood and is quicker to make.
Del

[WillS]

The number of times people say willow doesn't work astounds me.

It does.

Try it.

People have made 80ish pound self bows from willow.

[mullet]

Never knew that, Marc. everybody likes to plant Weeping Willow for an ornamental down here.

[DC]

I wonder if there is more than one "Weeping Willow". The one people plant around here seems very brittle. The thin "weeping" branches are very bendy but the thicker ones break in the snow all the time.

[Marc St Louis]

I had another look at the data on the disk I have and the tree is native to Australia and it is denser and stronger than Osage.  I think "Weeping Willow" is just one of its trade names though, the botanical name is Casuarina equesetifolia.  It is supposed to be planted worldwide as an ornamental

The only Willow we have growing wild around here is a small gnarly tree.  I have always been surprised by its strength and springiness.  Maybe some day I'll give it a chance to see how well it does as a bow-wood

[DC]

I just looked in my "Plants Coastal of British Columbia" and we have 6 species and numerous sub-species. 16 entries in the index. Just about every other tree you see is a Willow

[PatM]

The casuarina variety is the one the guys in Florida and Hawaii mention as "She-Oak" and "Ironwood"

True Willow trees are a different animal. I believe black willow is mentioned as a tougher variety.

[Barend]

Once again thank you for all the information, I really appreciate it. I have an abundance of weeping willow around here, and with the new information I am definitely going to try as soon as possible. As for the other trees, I live in the city with very few trees, but fortunately I have a mulberry tree stump in my yard. It was cut down a year ago, so I forgot about it.

Thank you everyone

[FilipT]

I have weeping willow (Salix babylonica) next to my house, its about few feet in diameter. Definitely not stronger than osage. This Casaurina is actually called "Australian pine tree".