I googled it and it seems they root pretty easily. Taken from Midwest Gardening site:

" Dappled willow can be propagated from softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings. To produce new plants, just plant 8” cuttings of stem without leaves into consistently moist soil in a small pot or nursery bed, they will generally root easily. "

I do a lot of cuttings. I use pro mix and perlite mostly. Since cuttings have no roots, you want the medium to be moist but not wet. It doesn't have to be promix used, either. You just don't want anything with fertilizer.

one of the few trees that cuttings root...

think of it this way.. what would you hope to find at the nursery... and thats probably one plant in a 5 gal pot.. so thats your goal...

but if they are just rooted.. you could put 3 to 5 to grow further roots until you bare root them and plant them in fall.. after dormancy...i wouldnt bother with pots over the winter.. if you dont have to..

ken

thank you