Garden Notes

Pussy willow with fat catkin buds showing coppicing on shrub base

Before spring even arrives, while snow is still covering the ground, an enduring ritual takes place. On a warm February or March day as you go for a walk along country roads you notice that the pussy willows (Salix discolor), true harbingers of spring, are already sporting their fuzzy catkins. Free for the taking, you prune off a few branches and take them home to display one of nature’s earliest flowers. This has long been a rite of spring for my family in northern Wisconsin.

When my husband and I moved to our new home, I decided to plant one of these shrubs in my yard so I could revive that childhood tradition. A friend gave me cuttings from her pussy willow one spring to start my shrub. She told me to put them into a bucket of water, place the bucket in the shade and wait for them to grow a few roots before planting them. My baby willows sat in the water bucket for a few weeks and grew a nice clump of new roots. I planted them in a small cluster in our side yard where they settled in and grew nicely. I looked forward to picking my first pussy willow branches the next spring. Unfortunately for me, rabbits found the willow shrub tasty that first winter and when the snow melted, all I had left was a few sad little sticks.

All was not lost however, willows as you may know, are very forgiving about pruning and my shrub rebounded with great vigor. By the second year it was nicely shaped and about 30 inches tall so I picked a few branches for my dining room. By the third year, I harvested a lot branches, some for our house and some to share with friends. At this point, I was really happy with my small shrub. In the fourth year all that changed. The willow, now firmly established, grew from 3 feet high to well over 7 feet and I was concerned that if it got much bigger, it would shade the vegetable garden.

Something had to be done. I remembered reading that since pussy willows are deciduous shrubs, they can be pruned severely (or coppiced) annually to enhance the spring display. As I researched this method, it seemed like the perfect answer. I could trim my shrub down to manageable size and still have the beautiful branches in spring filled with catkins. Following the directions, I lopped my willow down to a few inches above the ground and waited for it to regenerate. After a bit, the pussy willow started to sprout new growth and quickly grew to a nice small shrub. That same willow is currently filled with beautiful catkins buds just waiting for a bit of warm weather. I will be harvesting them shortly and plan to repeat the coppicing process at least every couple of years to keep my willow at a manageable size.

Research

Pussy willows are deciduous shrubs that can reach a height of twenty feet if not pruned properly. They are wetland plants in the wild and are perfect if your yard has poor drainage. They do best in full sun, but will tolerate shade. They are also easy to propagate, rooting readily in moist soil or in a bucket of water.

Of Note: These trees have invasive roots. Consequently, plant your cuttings far away from septic tank fields, sewer lines or water lines.

Fun Fact: After picking your pussy willow branches, if you put them in vase with water, they will finish blooming and drop off in a few weeks. If you put them into a dry vase, they will stay looking the same and last for a very long time.

Pollarding: a bit different from coppicing