Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

  • Home
  • Recommended Tools
  • Products
  • Categories
    • Complete Guides
    • Gardening
    • Growing
    • Landscape Design
    • Plant Care
    • Propagation
  • Contact
  • About Mike
Home » Gardening » Harry Lauder Walking Stick

Harry Lauder Walking Stick

Updated : January 11, 2021

47 Comments

Corylus avella contorta, Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick

As many of you know I’m a big fan of the crazy looking plant Harry Lauder Walking Stick.  The true beauty of this plant is it’s crazy contorted branches that can’t grow straight if they tried.

The crazy, twisted, contorted branches of Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick.

A few years ago we planted hundreds of these in the nursery and we’ve since dug them all up.

Some we’ve potted up to sell, the others will be potted soon.  Right now we are in digging mode so at the time we have hundreds of plants heeled in waiting to be potted.

So the purpose of this post is to make you aware of a few things.

1.  There is a disease that attacks Harry Lauder Walking Stick.  This is how you detect it.

2.  Harry Lauder Walking Stick can be trained to grow as a single stem tree.  I show you how to do that here.

3.  You can propagate Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick at home via layering.  I show you how to do that here with more Harry Lauder Walking Stick Photos.

Here are some photos of the Harry Lauder’s.

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick in a pot
Harry Lauder Walking Stick in a pot
Mike McGroarty with his Harry Lauder's Walking Stick heeled in
Mike McGroarty with his Harry Lauder’Walking Stick heeled in.
Harry Lauder's Walking Stick heeled in 2
Harry Lauder Walking Stick heeled in

I love this photo!  How about you?

We do not ship plants!  All plants are sold on site at the nursery in Perry, Ohio.  We usually have big weekend plant sales in May.

Take a gander at these posts...

  • Growing Japanese Maples
  • It’s time to Make Baby Plants! Make Baby Plants! Make Baby Plants!
  • Do You Have Shotgun Fungus?
  • 37 Ways to Know You’re Addicted to Gardening
  • The Amazing Multiplication Effect & How To Heal In Your Plants

Comments

  1. Diane says

    April 12, 2022 at 8:02 pm

    Is this the same as Curly Willow?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 13, 2022 at 8:21 am

      Diane,

      No it is not. It stays much smaller and is a more durable plant.

      Reply
  2. Kim says

    April 23, 2020 at 8:30 am

    Do you have any harry lauer walking stick trees available to purchase?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 24, 2020 at 9:39 am

      Kim,

      Not at this time.

      Reply
  3. Bernadette Simonetti says

    April 17, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    Mike, thanks for giving back so much. We have lost that in our society. Just reading some of the e-mails tells me you really enjoy giving. Wish the world would ketch on to that concept. I believe it went the way of letter writing. God Bless you,

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 18, 2019 at 8:48 am

      Bernadette,

      Giving back really isn’t a lost art, I see it daily in our members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, people helping people on a daily basis.

      Reply
    • Nettie says

      April 19, 2022 at 7:45 pm

      Hi Bernadette which is my sisters name and I agree with your comments to Mike about his kindness!!I don’t join many sites at all but His content and caring caused me to appreciate him and other gardeners like you!! I also agree about writing as a kindness to family, friends, and all you awesome gardeners!!!

      Reply
  4. Tina says

    June 30, 2018 at 12:29 pm

    Hi Mike
    My dad had a lovely walking stick that was getting a bit late for its location. My brother decided to cut it down. Dad is gone and I’m in his house. Dozens of saplings have grown back and I’ve removed all but two, about 6 foot each. They are all straight, no gnarling of the trunk or branches and the leaves are not as frilly as before.

    I wish that I’d found your article before trimming. Can I encourage the to that I’ve kept to the familiar gnarled shape or should I cut those down and start with new shoots when they emerge?

    Thanks for your great info!

    Reply
    • Mike says

      July 1, 2018 at 8:31 am

      Tina,

      Remove the straight shoots. I no curly shoots appear I’d consider the plant of no use and remove it completely.

      Reply
  5. Judy says

    June 16, 2016 at 2:41 pm

    I am zone 5, live a mi from Lake Erie upstate NY. Have a 25 year old Harry Louder Walking Stick. 2014 was an awful winter but that spring it leafed out and seemed fine. Last winter,2015 – 16 was not so bad and this spring it partially leafed out. Some of the branches were fine but others dropped their tiny leaves and seem to have died. So I have sparse leaves on top (7′) and some new growth coming from the base. Do I just cut the dead stuff…. cut it off the top half… wait and see???? HELP and thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      June 16, 2016 at 5:48 pm

      Judy,

      Be sure to look closely at this post. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2012/10/my-harry-lauders-walking-stick-is-dying/

      Your Harry Lauder’s might be in more trouble than you think and if it’s infected it probably cannot be saved.

      Reply
  6. Roma Milner says

    May 20, 2016 at 6:58 pm

    I don’t know how you do it! You answer e-mails, make videos, write for a magazine, AND run your business. You must have a clone. My nursery bed is overrun with chickweed and other volunteers. Spent two mornings just trying to clear out the weeds. And a morning of that is all the aging body can handle. Do you have a secret to keep your beds weed free, or do you hire a boy scout troop?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      May 22, 2016 at 7:46 am

      Roma,

      See this article https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2012/06/weed-control-facts/

      Reply
  7. Nancye says

    April 22, 2016 at 9:25 am

    Had one of these for several years in my landscape. The Japanese beetles loved it so after several years I removed it. I must say the foliage wasn’t anything special but in the winter the contorted limbs were pretty neat.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 23, 2016 at 7:25 am

      Nancye,

      I wouldn’t have removed it because of Japanese beetles. Yes, they do love the leaves, but I would have treated for beetles and left the plant.

      Reply
  8. Mary says

    April 20, 2016 at 4:50 pm

    Hi Mike, I am from Ireland, love your tips & advice as I love gardening but still have a lot to learn..keep up the good work. Thank you

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 20, 2016 at 7:51 pm

      Thank you Mary, my late father was born in Ireland, moved to the U.S. around 1948.

      Reply
  9. barbara kaylor says

    April 20, 2016 at 10:21 am

    mike would this tree be related to a cork screw willow?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 20, 2016 at 7:55 pm

      Barbara,

      No it is not, smaller plant, in the filbert family.

      Reply
  10. Debbee says

    April 20, 2016 at 12:00 am

    I can’t get a Harry Lauder Walking Stick anywhere. The girl closest to me was in Oregon (I am in Northern California) and she says she won’t be selling any for a long time due to budding or something I don’t remember. I have no clue of anyone in Ohio for your plant sale so where would I find one that won’t break the bank? I absolutely love them, always have.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 20, 2016 at 7:23 am

      Debbie, I just told somebody else to look on ebay, I have a member that sells some there in the spring.

      Reply
      • sue west says

        June 13, 2017 at 10:40 am

        I got mine from clover creek nursery it came in good condition and was 22.00 plus 14.00 shipping

        Reply
  11. Doris Wright says

    April 19, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    Nice work Mike!

    Reply
  12. Claudia Gale says

    April 19, 2016 at 8:38 pm

    You are the best Mike. I’m glad to see that others truly appreciate all your advice and your happy ways. Also good to know that kids are benefiting from all you give so freely. Fell off a 6 foot ladder two weeks ago…busted my wrist up bad. Emergency surgery, 7 screws and a metal plate. If you hadn’t have given me so much fall clean-up advise….I’d be in an even worse mess. Thank you, so much, for all you do for so many of us.

    Still having brutally cold weather, here in New England….and my perennials all look sickly from it. Also strange weather all over the country….I feel SO bad for those who count on their plants for income. God bless us all….

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 20, 2016 at 7:29 am

      Claudia,

      Thank you for your kind words and I’m truly sorry to hear of your fall and injury. The weather has been crazy but all we can do is roll with it.

      Reply
  13. patricia scott says

    April 19, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    Dear Mike im wanting to know what do you use to kill the bugs off your plants ive been reading your newsletters . i have around 150 of different bushes that ive started from cuttings like you taought me.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 19, 2016 at 7:34 pm

      Patricia,

      I rarely if ever use an insecticide in my nursery. I find that small plants that are healthy and happy tend to fight off bugs pretty well.

      Reply
  14. Karen says

    April 19, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    Mike,

    Those are some pretty awesome looking plants! Just curious if they leaf out or are always just the bare wood? (That would be a real oddity)! Thanks for all you do to help us less than green thumbs out here!

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 19, 2016 at 7:38 pm

      Karen,

      They leaf out with rather strange looking leaves.

      Reply
  15. TIM says

    May 1, 2013 at 9:43 am

    I HAVE THREE DIFFERENT DOGWOOD TREES THAT HAVE HOLES THRU THE BARK AND SOMETHING HAS GOTTEN UNDER THE BARK AND TURNED IT INTO POWDERY CHALK LIKE IN DIFFERENT AREAS. ANY IDEA WHAT IT COULD BE AND WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT?

    Reply
    • Fred J. Robinson, Registered Consulting Arborist says

      April 19, 2016 at 6:52 pm

      Your description sounds like the dogwood borer. It is a common pest of older or stressed flowering dogwoods. Google it for more information..

      Reply
  16. Mike says

    April 27, 2013 at 9:01 am

    Zone 5-8 on the Corylus Contorta. Beautiful singles Mike!

    Reply
  17. enuffsaid says

    April 17, 2013 at 4:04 pm

    Dear Mike – thank you for all the continuing
    FREE information! I would like to know if these walking stick plants can be made into actual walking sticks? I live here in Tucson, Arizona, and we have a lot of seniors that would like to have unusual walking sticks just a question. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Christine Carla Mikesell says

      April 19, 2016 at 7:53 pm

      Hey up there in Tucson
      I’m way down here in Sierra Vista. Moving up that way next month. Do you have a veggie harden going yet? If so, what stage is it now? Trying to get used to Arizona gardening. I’m a Michigan transplant.

      Reply
  18. Anthony says

    April 17, 2013 at 3:35 pm

    Mike, I have followed your videos about prunning, planting hardwood cuttings and so on. These pointers and techniques are essential to the garden world. Just like to say “thanks” for what you are doing because this has encourage me to involve young people with the same passion for plants as I have.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 17, 2013 at 6:01 pm

      Thanks Anthony, I appreciate that. -Mike McGroarty

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      September 5, 2015 at 7:24 am

      Yes Mike. Thank you

      Reply
  19. Anonymous says

    April 17, 2013 at 3:21 pm

    Mike. I have followed along with the videos about prunning, planting hardwood cuttings and so on. These techniques are essential to the garden world today and what you are doing has inspired me to encourage young people to get involve as I continue my love for plants.

    Thanks.

    Reply
  20. Naomi says

    April 14, 2013 at 11:45 pm

    Hi What zones for the Harry Lauder’s Walking stick? Thanks

    Reply
  21. Gail Huffsstutler says

    April 14, 2013 at 6:57 pm

    mike:
    I would like o order your book for my daughter who lives in Seattle. She is a much better gardener than I am. I live in Texas, where we grow Cactus, thistle, and weeds. I have been trying to take care of our yard, have a garden and keep a lawn, all of which I know nothing about. I love your newsletters and read and listen to the videos, but feel that I’m too old to really get into this, now, as I have a new hip and also we live on a ranch and the pasture weeds just come into the yard and drive me crazy!
    Anyhow, I would like you to tell me about how I can get your book soon, as my daughter will be here in June.
    Thanks!
    Gail Huffstutler

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 14, 2013 at 7:50 pm

      Gail,

      My Easy Plant Propagation book is here: http://www.freeplants.com/easy-plant-propagation.htm

      My Backyard nursery products are here:
      https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2013/03/how-to-make-65%C2%A2-per-square-inch-in-your-backyard/

      Reply
  22. Melissa Klopp says

    April 14, 2013 at 3:59 pm

    Mike, Thank you for all your videos, ideas and knowledge for us to learn from.
    I appreciate you knowledge on so many plants and trees, that I hope that when we get our “square” of land, probably in San Antonio, we will be ordering from you so we can make that “retired” money.
    Melissa Klopp

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 14, 2013 at 7:17 pm

      Melissa,

      That’s fine, when you’re ready I’ll be here. I’ve been doing this online for 14 years and won’t be going anywhere soon.

      Reply
  23. Dave says

    April 14, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    Thanks again Mike. I look FWD to all your newsletters. I have learned a lot from you

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 14, 2013 at 7:48 pm

      Dave,

      You are welcome and thanks for sticking with me.

      Reply
  24. Sandra says

    April 14, 2013 at 12:05 pm

    Totally intrigued with today’s offer for $7. I am not sure but seems between the lines I “read” if buying the report there is a Step Two of what you are bringing or will be offering that works in tandem with the report.
    Yes? I am trying to kick start a business for a friend doing this. Perfect for folks that are struggling on disability but fit in body to do the soul heartening work in the garden….and the blessing of some additional income to supplement their fixed income.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 14, 2013 at 7:23 pm

      Sandra,

      We created this lower priced report to give people a place to start. From there? We have other products if you want or feel that you need them, they are totally optional. Most people want everything that I’ve ever created. http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Rooted cuttings of variegated weigela in bunches to harden off.

Over Wintering Rooted Cuttings.

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

Mike's Big Perennial Bed.

Mike’s Big Perennial Garden

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

A Profound Thank You from Mike.

Posted On September 1, 2022 By Mike

Finnegan keeping the sun off his head.

An Old Guy, Two Donkeys, a Puppy and a Hammock. What could possibly go wrong?

Posted On July 17, 2022 By Mike

This upside down donkey is a hoot!

An Upside Down Donkey and Cute Puppy.

Posted On July 14, 2022 By Mike

'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm.

‘Rockin Raspberry’ Bee Balm.

Posted On June 26, 2022 By Mike

'Bubblegum Blast' Bee Balm.

‘Bubblegum Blast’ Bee Balm

Posted On June 26, 2022 By Mike

Blue Angel Hosta.

‘Blue Angel’ Hosta.

Posted On June 25, 2022 By Mike

Big Daddy Hosta.

‘Big Daddy’ Hosta

Posted On June 25, 2022 By Mike

'Humpback Whale' hosta.

‘Humpback Whale’ Hosta.

Posted On June 25, 2022 By Mike

Complete Guides

Growing, Rooting and Propagating Dappled Willow in Tree Form from Cuttings.

Growing Seeds, Winter Sowing, in Milk Jugs and Kitty Litter Jugs.

The Correct Way to Pot Rooted Cuttings, Nursery Stock Liners and other Plants.

Training Arborvitae and other Conical Evergreens to Grow with a Single Leader.

How to Propagate, Root Cuttings, of Dwarf Alberta Spruce.

Recent Posts

Blue Angel Hosta.

‘Blue Angel’ Hosta.

'Blue Angel'hosta is by far one of my favorite blue hostas. A big hosta like this in a perennial bed covers a lot of area and that keeps a ton of weeds at bay! These giant heart shaped leaves are very slug resistant. We have this plant in full sun. With … Read Full Article

Big Daddy Hosta.

‘Big Daddy’ Hosta

'Big Daddy' hosta is one of my favorite big hostas, mostly because it's big, it's blue and it has very interested leaves that are a bit dimpled. Big Daddy hosta gets about 24" tall and 36" wide. It's hardy in zones 3 through 9, the flowers are blends of … Read Full Article

'Humpback Whale' hosta.

‘Humpback Whale’ Hosta.

We sold out of 'Humpback Whale' hosta pretty early this year. Humpback Whale is pretty impressive hosta and this one really hasn't matured yet because they can get three feet high and 7 feet wide. I've also seen photos of them that show them to be a lot … Read Full Article

Ice Plant, delosperma

Ice Plant, delosperma

How pretty is that? And it's a ground hugging perennial that comes back year and year. These plants were new to our nursery last year so Pam and I planted three of them in our landscape at home. Not only did they do really well last year but they wintered … Read Full Article

Electric Red Dianthus

‘Electric Red’ Dianthus

I've been working on my perennial bed at the nursery and this Electric Red Dianthus caught my eye and was screaming "make my picture". So I did! Dianthus in general are great perennials for your garden. They are super winter hardy even here in cold … Read Full Article

Copyright © 2023 · Hill Country Digital Media, LLC · Privacy Policy · Earnings Disclaimer · Terms of Service