Arlene Wright-Correll

Planting Pussy Willows©



Posted: Wednesday, October 01, 2008

by
http://www.learn-america.com

When I was a kid growing up in Brooklyn , NY there was not a lot of flowers, shrubs or trees growing in our tenement neighborhood. However, one only had to get on the trolley car and ride out to Flushing or go into Forest Hills or Prospect Park and one could find lots of good stuff growing and I remember each spring, as early as February, being able to find Pussy Willows popping out regardless of how stark the rest of the landscape was in the last throes of winter.

There might even be some dirty snow on the ground, because snow never stayed white very long in the city or even stayed very long, but here were these Pussy Willows telling me that spring would soon be arriving.

Pussy Willows were one of the few branches that our teachers would bring into the class room that would be part of our "show and tell" programs and they did not need water in order to last a long time.

I remember learning there were male and female pussy willow trees and the furry buds on their branches are called "catkins". The male Pussy Willows were showier and furrier and we learned that these trees were natives of Canada and liked marshy wetland areas.

You can buy Pussy Willow trees, but the frugal gardener might want to know that you can root pussy willow branches quite easily during the summer by taking some cuttings from the new growth on the male pussy willows. Just cut a branch that is about as thick on the cut end as an ordinary pencil and make sure it is at least a foot long. Then stick the cut end into some moist soil for about three or four inches to ensure stability and the roots should develop within three to four weeks. They love water, so keep them moist.

You can also do the same thing during the winter providing you do it inside and then you can plant your rooted cuttings outside after the last frost has gone.

Make sure you plant them away from your septic tank as these trees have really evasive roots and will go directly to your tank, water lines and even sewer lines. Thus these are great plants to put in any watery area of your property such as a stream, pond or marsh. They like full sun, but will also flourish in partial shade.

Pussy Willows can grow to twenty feet high, so pruning them may be what you want if you want a bushy more compact tree. Also pruning them makes more branches grow and if you want to create a privacy screen then you can when you plant a whole row of them and keep pruning them watching them become denser each season.

You will be visited by many American Goldfinch who love nesting among the branches. However, you will also find deer, muskrat, red squirrel and ruffed grouse nibbling on the buds since Pussy Willows are rich in zinc and vitamin C.

"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime May your day be filled withPeace, Light and Love,

Author's note: This article was originally written for GreenThumbArticles.com

About the Author & Artist. Arlene Wright-Correll (1935- ___), popular American award winning Artist, published author, columnist, & is the resident art instructor for Avalon Stained Glass School, at the age of 68, decided to pick up her paint brushes again after 54 years and paint.  She is a cancer and stroke survivor who is able to strive forward each and everyday to welcome the beauty of this small planet.  She also is a China & Porcelain painter, Sandblasting & Etching, Stained Glass & fused glass Artisan. She is one of the six KY Artists who worked 6 months to create the dolls for Journey Jots in 2006 and a Smithsonian Institute art exhibit in 2008. Her published books can be found here . She is also a featured writer for GreenThumbArticles.com and teaches Art Vacation Holidays at Avalon Stained Glass School and Creativity Center.

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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)
» left by Marybeth Guminski
from King of Prussia PA 2 years 318 days ago.
Yes, glad to hear they attract goldfinches, and also when to plant them.
 
I mistakenly planted some yesterday, and it was freezing out today.
 
Yesterday was warm enough, but I rooted some that my friend had
 
given me and I thought you could plant them when you could work the
 
ground. Hope they survive.
» left by Arlene Wright-Correll 2 years 318 days ago.
did you plant a lot of them?  Try putting some old blankets on the ground in the evening.
» left by Anonymous
 2 years 285 days ago.
This was a very informative and helpful article. I have started 4 plants in the house and they will be ready to plant once frost has gone. Article helped me decide where to plant them. Thanks
 
MB, Ontario
» left by Bonnie V.Williams from wa state 1 year 359 days ago.
I just got a peice of Fan tail willow and was wondering if I can start it like regular willows???
 
Bonnie in wa state
» left by Arlene Wright-Correll from Munfordville, KY 1 year 359 days ago.
The Fan Tail Will falls into the Category of Shrubs with heights of
 
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)
 
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
 
It needs the following Spacing:
 
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
 
15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m)
 
Hardiness when planted in the following zones:
 
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
 
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
 
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
 
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
 
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
 
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
 
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
 
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
 
It needs the following Sun Exposure:
 
Full Sun
 
Sun to Partial Shade
 
Bloom Color:
 
Pale Pink
 
Bloom Time:
 
Late Winter/Early Spring
 
Foliage:
 
Grown for foliage
 
Deciduous
 
Other details:
 
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
 
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings.
 
Propagation Methods:
 
From softwood cuttings
 
And I suppose you can plant it just like a regular $%&@%&* willow. Didn’t it come with planting instructions?
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