Pussy willows
Garden Clippings for March 30, 2019
Pussy willows are the first shrub to bloom in spring. Their flowers are not overly colourful or showy but provide plenty late winter interest.
Kids love Pussy willow flowers because as soon as they are opened, they are as soft, cute and cuddly as kittens.
Grownups love Pussy willows (Salix Discolor) because their stems can be cut, brought indoors, plunked into a tall vase, and enjoyed till they are dusty, and we’ve grown tired of them. There is no need to put water in the vase or the stems might produce roots.
In the garden Pussy willows are either loved or hated. I tend to lean towards the later.
Pussy willows grow large, probably too large for the average backyard. They grow quickly and within a few years will dominate the home landscape garden. The standard native Pussy willow can easily exceed 20 feet of height.
The flowers or catkins of Pussy willow are delightful in early spring but because they need to be planted at the back of the yard, are hardly visible from the kitchen window. When not in bloom the Pussy willow plant is an informally shaped mumbo jumbo of weak stems with plain green leaves.
To be fair, new varieties are smaller and slower growing with improved winter show and interesting bark. But even the smallest varieties grow to 8 or 10 feet. Giant Pussy willow (Salix chaenomeloides) with its red stems and red buds is the prettiest for indoor cutting. Black Pussy willow (Salix melanostachys) has pussies emerging in red, then turning black.
Pussy willow is one of the hardiest plants known and highly adaptable, growing in any soil or climactic zone. Its only requirement is water and like its cousin the Weeping Willow, consumes buckets of water.
Don’t plant Pussy willow near drainage pipes or weeping tiles because the aggressive roots might wreak havoc in search of water.
Pussy willow is prone to all kinds of insects and diseases but because of its hardiness, will continue to grow without effort.
Weeping Pussy willow is a unique grafted tree suited for ornamental landscapes. This well-behaved small tree won’t outgrow its space. But don’t expect it to live much longer than a decade.
Those of us who are wildlife lovers have plenty reasons to admire Pussy willows. Their tasty stems are a source of food for deer and other vegetarian animals. Insects and birds will flock to Pussy willow where they can easily find pollen and nectar.
In the bush, especially in boggy soils, Pussy willows can be one of the first to reforest and replenish areas that have been destroyed because of fire or flood. In due time, other more stable trees will enter and slowly knock out the Pussy willows.
