: I have never used willow. I thought it was mostly used for cricket
: bats, since it is very split-resistant. I gather it bends well -
: is it readily available in NA or will I have to do a midnight
: raid on a local riverbank ... ?

Might have to find a neighbor whose willow needs some pruning. You would want these while they are green. If you need to preserve them a few days, they would need to be kept underwater, or wrapped in wet towels in plastic bags.

Shoots are not tips of branches. They come directly off the root. On other trees they might be called 'suckers'. Look for stumps of willows which have fallen, or been cut down.

If allowed to develop, the shoots would become trunks for more willow trees. They may grow several feet tall before they start to develop their own branches.

Since they grow straight they have been the source for arrow shafts, and the spindles in Windsor chairs, over the years. I read in a book on chairmaking mentions that there used to be a regular market for these willow shoots, and a grading system for them. Sorted by size and cut to length they could be used without turning them on a lathe.

If you find a willow stump you can easily gather the shoots growing around the perimeter with camper's hand axe. The green material cuts easily, and is pliant while it is green. Peel the bark off so moisture can escape, bend it to shape and let it dry that way. If the shoot is thick, you can try spliting it in half. That gives "D" shaped rib stock with a flat side and a round side.

PGJ