Farming Willow Trees in OSRS: A Complete Guide to Growing and Profiting

Farming Willow Trees in OSRS: A Complete Guide to Growing and Profiting


Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers players a variety of skills to master, and Farming is one of the most rewarding yet time-intensive ones. Among the many crops you can grow, willow trees stand out as an excellent option for mid-level players looking to level up their Farming skill, gather resources, and even turn a profit. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about farming willow trees in OSRS, from requirements and steps to tips for maximizing efficiency and profits. Whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) enthusiast or a pay-to-play (P2P) member, this blog post will help you make the most of willow tree farming.

Willow trees are a popular choice for Farming in OSRS due to their accessibility and versatility. Requiring only level 30 Farming, they’re perfect for players who’ve moved past the beginner stages but aren’t ready for high-level trees like magic or yew. Here’s why they’re worth your time:

Experience Gains

Planting a willow seed grants 25 Farming XP, while checking the health of a fully grown tree yields a hefty 1,456.5 XP. This totals 1,481.5 XP per tree, making willow trees a solid source of experience for leveling up quickly without breaking the bank.

Resource Collection

Once fully grown, willow trees provide multiple resources. Chopping them down gives willow logs, useful for Woodcutting, Fletching, and Firemaking. Digging up the stump yields willow roots, which are valuable for crafting supercompost. Additionally, pruning with secateurs offers willow branches, handy for quests or crafting baskets.

Profit Potential

While willow logs themselves aren’t highly valuable, willow roots and branches can fetch decent prices on the Grand Exchange. For Ironmen or players focusing on self-sufficiency, these resources are a goldmine for further skilling.

Requirements for Farming Willow Trees

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Before you start planting, ensure you have the necessary skills, tools, and items. Here’s what you’ll need to farm willow trees effectively in OSRS:

Skill Level

  • Farming Level 30: This is the minimum requirement to plant willow seeds.
  • Optional Woodcutting Level 30: Useful if you plan to chop the trees for logs after they grow.

Tools and Items

  • Willow Seed: Obtainable from bird nests, Wintertodt crates, or the Grand Exchange.
  • Plant Pot: Fill it with soil using a gardening trowel.
  • Gardening Trowel: Essential for filling pots and planting seeds.
  • Watering Can: Needed to water the seedling into a sapling.
  • Spade: Required to plant the sapling in a tree patch and dig up stumps.
  • Basket of Apples (Optional): Pay a farmer one basket to protect your tree from disease.
  • Secateurs (Optional): Use these to gather willow branches from a grown tree.

Tree Patch Locations

Willow trees can only be planted in designated tree patches. Here are the main locations in OSRS:

Location Teleport Method Notes
Falador Park Falador Teleport Close to a bank; Elite Falador Diary prevents disease.
Lumbridge Lumbridge Teleport Near the castle, good for F2P players.
Varrock Varrock Teleport South of the Grand Exchange, convenient access.
Taverley Taverley Teleport East of the house portal, P2P only.
Farming Guild Skills Necklace Requires 45 Farming to enter, P2P only.

How to Farm Willow Trees: Step-by-Step Guide

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Growing willow trees follows a straightforward process, but timing and preparation are key. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Prepare the Willow Sapling

  1. Use a gardening trowel on any farming patch to fill a plant pot with soil.
  2. Plant the willow seed in the filled pot.
  3. Water it with a watering can to turn it into a seedling, which will grow into a sapling in 0-5 minutes.

Step 2: Plant the Sapling

  1. Travel to a tree patch (see locations above).
  2. Rake the patch to remove weeds if it’s your first time using it.
  3. Use the sapling on the cleared patch with a spade in your inventory to plant it (25 XP).

Step 3: Protect and Grow

  1. Pay the nearby farmer one basket of apples to ensure the tree grows without disease (optional but recommended).
  2. Wait 4 hours and 40 minutes (280 minutes) for the tree to fully grow. It progresses through six growth stages.

Step 4: Harvest and Replant

  1. Check the tree’s health for 1,456.5 XP once fully grown.
  2. Chop it down for willow logs (requires level 30 Woodcutting).
  3. Dig up the stump with a spade for willow roots.
  4. Alternatively, use secateurs to gather up to six willow branches (regrow every 5 minutes after health check).
  5. Pay the farmer 200 GP to remove the stump if you don’t want to chop it yourself, then replant.

Tips for Efficient Willow Tree Farming

To get the most out of your willow tree runs, consider these strategies to save time, boost XP, and increase profits:

Optimize Your Tree Runs

  • Use Teleports: Equip a Ring of Wealth, Skills Necklace, or teleport spells to quickly hop between patches.
  • Plan Multiple Patches: Plant in all five tree patches (or six with Farming Guild access) to maximize XP per cycle.
  • Combine with Other Runs: Pair willow tree runs with fruit tree or herb runs for efficient skilling.

Boost Yields and XP

  • Farming Cape: At level 99 Farming, this cape slightly increases yields.
  • Magic Secateurs: Boosts branch yield when pruning (requires A Fairy Tale Part I).
  • Ultra Compost: Reduces disease chance if you skip farmer payments.

Profit Maximization

  • Sell Willow Roots: These are in demand for supercompost and often fetch higher prices than logs.
  • Bank Branches: Stockpile willow branches for quests like Enlightened Journey or sell them when prices peak.
  • Avoid Overcutting Logs: Willow logs are low-value; focus on roots and branches unless training Woodcutting.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Farming Willow Trees

Even seasoned players can slip up. Here are pitfalls to watch out for:

Forgetting Protection

Skipping the basket of apples payment risks disease, which can kill your tree and waste time. Always pay the farmer or use ultra compost to minimize this risk.

Ignoring Growth Timers

Willow trees take 280 minutes to grow. Forgetting to check them promptly delays your next planting cycle. Set a timer or use a plugin like RuneLite’s farming tracker to stay on top of it.

Overlooking Resource Collection

Chopping the tree without digging up roots or pruning branches leaves valuable resources on the table. Always maximize your haul before moving on.

Neglecting Patch Maintenance

Unraked patches or leftover stumps can halt your progress. Clear them out after each cycle to keep your runs smooth.

Farming willow trees in OSRS is a fantastic way to build your Farming skill while gathering useful resources. With a low entry requirement of level 30, it’s accessible to a wide range of players, offering decent XP and profit potential. By following this guide—preparing properly, planting efficiently, and avoiding common mistakes—you’ll turn your tree patches into a thriving willow empire. So grab your spade, stock up on seeds, and start farming today!