Pussy willows Salix cinerea are stately, versatile trees that thrive in poor soil and soggy ground. The fuzzy white catkins are one of the first signs of spring and make pussy willows a decorative shrub. Although you can purchase a plant, it is just as easy and far more cost effective to grow a shrub from a cutting. Pussy willows grow rapidly and can become enormous, so trim them annually to keep the branching at bay.
How to Plant Pussy Willows | Home Guides | SF Gate
Ah, the pussy willow. The perfect addition to your ornamental garden! The Chinese use pussy willows as a decoration during part of the lunar new year. But what exactly is this plant? Is it a tree or a shrub? How does it grow, and how can you maintain it?
Pussy Willows: Exactly How to Care For This Beautiful Plant
This plant is most commonly grown as a shrub, though it also works well as a tree. Its main feature is the flowers it produces, which have a furry quality. The appearance of catkins vary between different types of Pussy Willow tree, with some being dainty with silky fur, and others being large and wispy. As a dioecious tree, the male and female plants are easily distinguishable from one another.
The furry catkins of pussy willows are one of spring's earliest harbingers. If you have the proper conditions, you can grow this shrub in your yard. Proper pruning allows you to show off these plants with maximum impact in your landscape. Pussy willows are dioecious , with the male pussy willow trees producing catkins earlier than the female trees and therefore being more highly prized.