Salix discolor – Pussywillow

General Information: When the rest of the plant kingdom is still dormant during late winter and early spring, Pussywillow begins blooming. A quintessential sign of spring, the fuzzy immature flower buds are popularly collected and used in arrangements. The buds emerge in March and April, followed by the bizarre-looking flower structures. The leaves arrive about a month after the buds first start to emerge. The Pussywillow otherwise blends in perfectly with the scenery throughout the summer, fall, and winter. The branches are appreciated by craftspeople as a spring bouquet and for their intense pliability. This plant has traditional uses as a construction material and medicine among Indigenous Peoples of North America. Consider adding this small tree to your collection as a sort of natural timepiece. Daily visits to these plants in anticipation of the buds are a surefire way to beat the winter blues!

Cultivation Details: This species is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers form on separate plants. Our selection is male, which has a more showy and golden flower structure. Pussywillow thrives near waterways but is adaptable to relatively drier soils in areas with a high water table. As with most Willow species, this plant benefits from regular pruning. The practice of gathering budding branches does little to harm the overall vigor of the plant. Plants may be pruned to the ground every few years to encourage a bushy habit, or left alone if a small tree form is desired. These plants can spread by suckers, slowly forming colonies. Consider Pussy Willow in poorly-drained areas, along marshes or other bodies of water, as a hedgerow along ditches or embankments, or as a specimen in a rain garden.

Growing Requirements: Plant in full to part sun. Requires moist to wet soils. Tolerant of most soil types as long as they retain moisture. Suitable for mildly acidic, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils.

Fun Facts: This species can be “forced” to flower early by bringing the branches indoors and placing them in water. Willows have been described as “Phreatophytes,” plants whose root systems depend on groundwater. Some species develop vast root systems to reach the water table, while others, like Pussywillow, seek out moist locations to grow.