Gardening Plants & Flowers Shrubs

How to Grow and Care for Pussy Willows

Often preserved for its fuzzy catkins, this attractive shrub is easy to grow

pussy willow tree

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Pussy willow is the name given to several smaller willow species in the Salix genus when the furry catkins appear in early spring. The name is most often applied to the North American native deciduous shrub, Salix discolor, though European species S. caprea and S. cinerea are also sometimes called pussy willow.

While typically found in wild wetlands, you can grow this swampy landscape-loving shrub in your yard with the proper conditions and pruning. Pussy willows grow quickly—and some species achieve heights of 25 feet, so they make great privacy screen shrubs. A branch stuck into soil will sprout a fully developed plant in a few months (and a branch in a vase makes a lovely spring decoration).

Common Name Pussy willow, glaucous willow
Botanical Name Salix spp.
Family Salicaceae
Plant Type Shrub
Mature Size 6–25 ft. tall, 4–15 ft. wide
Sun Exposure Full, partial
Soil Type Loamy
Soil pH Neutral
Bloom Time Spring
Flower Color White
Hardiness Zones 4–8 (USDA)
Native Area North America, Europe, Asia
closeup of pussy willow
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
pussy willow branches
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Pussy Willow Care

In native habitat, pussy willows are wetland plants, often thriving along the banks of streams in the wild. They need plenty of water and are therefore an apt choice for any poorly draining locations in your yard. All willows have invasive roots, so plant them far away from septic tank fields, sewer lines, and water lines. Pussy willows can be kept more compact and shrub-like through proper pruning. Pruning also prevents ice and snow damage to all willows, which are brittle plants.

You can tell the difference between male and female pussy willows by appearance: Both sexes of pussy willows are dioecious, but the male pussy willow trees produce attractive white catkins, while female trees produce dull greenish catkins. The catkins of male plants yield numerous tiny, pollen-filled flowers later in spring. The female catkins bear flowers that receive the males' pollen via flies and bees. On both, the oval leaves come out after the catkins, at which point the plant becomes a typical willow shrub, with dull green, lance-shaped leaves.

Warning

Since Salix discolor is a native North American plant, it is not officially considered invasive. But other foreign species, especially Salix caprea and S. cinerara, have naturalized and are considered invasive in portions of the Northeast and North-Central United States. And all weeping willow species are aggressive growers with tough, penetrating roots that can clog sewers and drains, and take over garden spaces.

Light

Pussy willows do best in full sun, but they will tolerate some shade.

Soil

This plant likes loamy, moist, rich soil. It wants to be kept wet. It tolerates poorly-drained soil, but performance is best if the soil is well-drained, yet constantly moist.

Water

These plants love moisture. You will need to ensure they have plenty of water and are not subjected to drought. In dense, water-retentive soil, about one inch of rain/irrigation per week is usually sufficient, but in porous soil, your pussy willow may require more frequent watering to keep the soil constantly damp.

Temperature and Humidity

Pussy willows grow best in temperate conditions with cold winters, as is typical in the Northern United States and Canada (zones 4 and 5). They grow slower in warmer climates (zones 6 to 8). Pussy willows readily tolerate high humidity.

Fertilizer

Pussy willows can do well when fed with just compost or leaf mold. You can fertilize them once in the fall with a balanced fertilizer after the plant is more than one year old. Use half a pound of fertilizer for every half inch of base-trunk diameter, spread 18 inches beyond the drip line of the branches. Don't let the fertilizer come into contact with the trunk of the plant.

Types of Pussy Willow

Salix discolor is the North American native plant to which the name pussy willow is most often applied.

Pussy willow

©Tasty food and photography / Getty Images

However, several other Salix species can carry the common name:

  • Salix caprea: This Eurasian pussy willow is also called goat willow.
Catkins of the Goat Willow Tree
A close up of the furry catkins of the Goat Willow Tree

Aconcagua / Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

 

  • Salix caprea pendula: This pretty plant is the weeping pussy willow that grows like a ground cover rather than an upright bush.
Salix caprea pendula

lassi meony / Getty Images

  • Salix cinerea: Native to Europe and western Asia, this plant has a reputation for invasiveness. It has naturalized in wetlands across the Eastern United States, but should be avoided as a landscape plant.
Salix cinerea

Massimiliano Finzi / Getty Images

Pruning

Pruning gives new branches plenty of room to grow without touching each other and results in larger catkins. The goal is to increase the size of the shrubs laterally while restricting their upward growth. Pruning also helps prevent disease, fungus, and insect problems.

A rounded shape is preferable for pussy willow shrubs. And if the plant looks untidy, you can prune it down to the ground and it will regrow with a more pleasing, ovular shape.

Winter is an excellent time for major pruning (not to be confused with harvesting catkin branches), taking advantage of their dormancy to remove old growth. An annual pruning routine for pussy willows follows this sequence:

  1. Each later winter or early spring, harvest the tops of branches bearing catkins.
  2. In winter, remove any dead branches, then cut one-third of the oldest branches back to the ground. The oldest branches are gray colored.
  3. Locate the newest (brown) branches—the vigorous new growth found lower on the main stems. The tops of these branches will help you gauge your remaining cuts. The next cuts will be made on the branches whose tops you harvested for their catkins.
  4. Use sharp anvil pruners, cut back to the level where the newest branches are above nodes. Cutting above the nodes that grow along the outside (furthest from the center of the shrubs) of branches is most effective. An offshoot from the outer part of a branch will grow outward and is less likely to cross over other branches.
  5. Branches that are already crossing should be removed. They shade each other, reducing the number of catkins.

Practiced every year over a period of three years, this pruning process will keep the shrub fresh and vibrant.

Propagating Pussy Willows

When you want to create new plants, pussy willows can be propagated through stem cuttings or by collecting and planting seeds. The stem cutting method is the easiest and more popular approach, since planting a row of stem cuttings in a line quickly establishes a living fence. Here's how to use the stem cutting method:

  1. Using bypass pruners, take a cutting that is about as thick as a pencil and at least one foot long from the new growth.
  2. Insert the cut (bottom) end of the branch a few inches underground for stability, with a couple of nodes (the little bumps along the branch) showing above ground.
  3. Water regularly, making sure the soil is always damp. Roots and new leaves will develop within a few weeks, and growth will be very rapid thereafter.

If you do not wish to wait until summer, bring your pussy willow cuttings inside and root them in water; transplant outside when the danger of frost is past.

How to Grow Pussy Willows from Seed

Seed propagation is not very common, except among serious enthusiasts, but it is fairly easy: Collect the seeds from the catkins at the point when they look the most cottony. Immediately sow the seeds in a small container on the surface of the potting mix with the silky seed hairs still attached.

Keep the container soil moist until the seeds germinate and sprout, then continue growing them until strong seedlings develop. The new plants can then be transplanted into the landscape.

How to Grow Pussy Willows in Pots

Growing willow in pots is possible, but usually reserved for young plants, as they tend to get overgrown and root-bound with age. Use any ordinary commercial potting mix in a large pot (any material) with good drainage. Potted pussy willows are normally grown outdoors year-round—they don't make good permanent houseplants. In winter, potted pussy willows are best moved to a sheltered location.

These fast-growing plants will fill their pot fairly quickly, so repotting every couple of years will likely be necessary. When repotting, use a container at least twice as wide as the previous pot. It's best to divide the rootball, if possible.

Pussy willows growing in pots need daily watering, a more frequent cadence than required by in-ground plants.

Overwintering

No special overwintering techniques are required for this plant, though it is recommended to make sure it is kept well-watered in late fall until the ground freezes hard.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Pussy willow is prone to a wide number of disease and pest problems, though the vigorous shrub survives most any threat without much intervention, other than pruning damaged branches.

Common diseases include powdery mildew, leaf spots, gray scab, and cankers. Affected branches (or entire plants) should be pruned out. Insect pests include aphids, scale, borers, lacebugs, and caterpillars; during severe infestations, pesticides can be used.

How to Preserve Pussy Willow Branches

Preserving pussy willow branches entails depriving them of water at the right time. If you harvest branches with catkins, don't place them in water and let them sit—they'll "go by" (flower out and lose their beauty).

You can also harvest the branches before the catkins open. In late winter or early spring (depending on where you live), you can pick branches with catkins that haven't fully opened yet and force them to open inside. To do so:

  1. Watch for swelling at the nodes along the branches of pussy willows. This is the first indication of budding catkins. Pick a day with temperatures above freezing, if possible, to harvest.
  2. Cut a length of a branch about two feet long. Repeat for as many branches as you desire. Place the bottoms of the branches in a vase filled with lukewarm water.
  3. With their ends submerged, cut about one inch off the bottoms. This second cut, performed underwater where air cannot act as a drying agent, will promote water intake into the branches. Add a floral preservative to the water, if you can.
  4. Wrap the exposed areas of the branches in damp newspaper or cloth to preserve humidity. Place the vase in a cool, dark spot for a day or two, until the stems begin to show color.
  5. Remove the newspaper or cloth. Place the vase in a cool spot (60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit) in indirect sun. Mist the branches occasionally until the catkins appear.

After the catkins open, you can remove them from water and preserve them for use in dried flower arrangements.

Common Problems With Pussy Willow

Pussy willows are generally fast-growing, prolific plants. However, there are several problems that may occur with these shrubs in the landscape:

Yellowish-Green Leaves

This is your pussy willow's way of telling you it needs more light. If it's in a pot, it should be easy to move. If it's planted in the ground, check if branches from other trees above are blocking its sunlight; pruning surrounding trees will improve the growth of your pussy willow.

Cracking Banches

In general, willows have rather weak, brittle branches. When there's wind or heavy icing, the branches may split or crack. Reduce damage by tying the branches up if there's a big storm brewing and using a broom or brush to lessen ice and snow build-up.

Wildlife Damage

Deer, squirrels, and birds like to eat the branches of pussy willows. You can protect them with chicken wire or similar fencing.

FAQ
  • Do pussy willows attract butterflies?

    Salix discolor is known to attract viceroy and mourning cloak butterflies.

  • How long do pussy willows live?

    Pussy willows last from 20 to 50 years if they're taken care of correctly.

  • Why are my pussy willow catkins so drab?

    Only male plants have showy catkins. If your plant has rather small, drab green catkins, it is probably a female plant. If you are growing pussy willows to harvest branches for decorative arrangements, buy male plants, which have larger, pearly white catkins.


  • How many varieties of pussy willows are there?

    While there is one plant variety, Salix discolor, that is most often referred to as a pussy willow, there are two other Salix species that also use the pussy willow moniker: Salix cinerea and Salix caprea.

  • Are pussy willows difficult to take care of?

    Pussy willows are easy to grow and maintain—they don’t need well-draining soil like many other plants do and ward off pests and diseases with a little pruning.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Plant of the Week: Pussy Willow. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension.