Twigs for Crafts

Ornamental Trees? Or Native Shrubs? You Choose...

Many other twigs can be used for twig crafts. I use many native shrubs for wreaths, twig balls and baskets; ornamental trees in your garden can be used too.

It’s worth getting a good field guide to help identify the local endemic shrubs in your area. Once you discover what they are, experiment with them to find out how you can utilize them. Cut a branch or two of any that look promising, and bend them to see how far they can safely be bent before cracking.

Acer douglasii twigs

I love Acer douglasii for its red twigs in the spring and straight strong growth, but it will snap under even the least bit of pressure. The best use for the larger stems of clump maple is for legs on tables, twig chairs and benches and potting benches.

Keep in mind that all the brightly coloured twigs that you see will mellow with age - turning a delightful rust, dull red or pale beige, depending on the species and the stage of growth.

If you’re lucky enough to have Russet buffalo berry, Shepherdia canadensis in your area, these reliable and hardy shrubs can be used for wreaths, very rustic twig balls and baskets. As the wood never gets big enough for anything else, use these as accents on other crafts.

Ceonothus sanguineum is a dusky red stemmed shrub that in early summer has the most disgustingly scented sickly sweet blooms, so cutting this shrub back hard to use for crafts is an easy choice.

I’d rather have the new growth than the aroma. These are flexible and tough, so best used for low fencing around vegetable beds where you can use the base of the stems for the uprights and weave the slender top growth for the sides.

Philadephus lewisii, the Mock Orange has strong straight growth that is perfect for making into bird cages or anything else that requires straight stems. The rough peeling bark is attractive and adds a very rustic look.

Physocarpus, the ninebark is also useful for the straight growth of the small twigs.

Corylus avellana, the native hazelnut is useful for long poles such as those required for tool handles or hurdles.

Cornus sericea, the Red Osier Dogwood is well known for its colourful displays of brilliant red twigs in the winter. Used as an accent or wired together for a jar cover to display flowering tree branches, or to hold pens or pencils on your desk, these are not suitable for most uses that require flexibility as they snap easily under pressure.

Search for some of these and other twigs for your rustic crafts – start with a small project to see how they perform for you, and let your imagination be the only limit.