Pussy willows are one of those old-fashioned plants that many
people remember from their childhood. Who hasn’t touched the fuzzy,
white catkins (the
”
pussies
”
of pussy willows) when they were kids? Well, consider this: you
can easily grow your own pussy willows and relive childhood
memories.
Pussy willows are one of those old-fashioned plants that many people remember from their childhood. Who hasn’t touched the fuzzy, white catkins (the “pussies” of pussy willows) when they were kids? Well, consider this: you can easily grow your own pussy willows and relive childhood memories.
Pussy willows bloom in late winter, so it’s an ideal time to plant them. However, growing your own pussy willows does not come without a warning. You see, pussy willows are unquestionably graceful and picturesque at the edges of ponds and streams where they grow in the wild.
Unfortunately, most pussy willows can grow to 20 feet or more, and are notoriously weak-wooded and messy. The reputation of their moisture-seeking roots for breaching pipes and the foundations of houses is also, unfortunately, too true.
Of course, if you have a spot way off in the corner of the backyard where nothing will grow, the hose doesn’t reach and there are no underground sewer or water pipes, pussy willows may be precisely the way to go.
The catkins of pussy willows appear in late winter, and are easily brought indoors for long-term decoration. You can often buy catkins of pussy willows from florists. They are typically silvery gray to soft pink, and there are even ebony black ones.
Willows are not fussy plants. All prefer full sun, but most will tolerate some shade. They uniformly prefer wet, even soggy soils, but will adapt just fine to dry soils. Most willows will require pruning to keep them at a convenient size and to stimulate growth of long stems for cutting. Heavy pruning (all the way to the ground) is not unusual in order to stimulate larger catkins. So, although pussy willows are low maintenance, they will require annual heavy pruning.
Some choice pussy willow varieties to look for include:
n Florist’s pussy willow (Salix caprea): Features large gray catkins that gradually yellow as they mature. They appear in late winter before the leaves. These willows grow to 20 feet or more, and will tolerate dry soil. There are even weeping varieties of this pussy willow that won’t take up quite as much garden space.
n Japanese pussy willow (Salix chaenomeloides): Features larger silvery-gray catkins that take on a pink cast as they age. Equally significant is that their bare winter stems are a rich mahogany red. This is a relatively new variety that was brought here in the 1980s from Korea. They grow fast to 20 feet, and require heavy pruning.
n Black pussy willow (Salix gracilstyla melanostachys): Like its name, the catkins are nearly black before turning yellow and producing a show that goes on for weeks. Plants are shorter at 6 to 10 feet.
If you have the right spot in your garden, away from everything else, pussy willows may be the way to go.
