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Pussy Willow |
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Weeping Pussywillow |
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Goat Willow |
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Kilmarnock Willow |
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French Pussywillow |
Salix caprea | Accepted |
Salix caprea f. elongata | Synonym |
Plant Habit: | Shrub |
Life cycle: | Perennial |
Sun Requirements: | Full Sun |
Water Preferences: | Wet Wet Mesic Mesic Dry Mesic Dry |
Soil pH Preferences: | Neutral (6.6 – 7.3) |
Minimum cold hardiness: | Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35) |
Maximum recommended zone: | Zone 7b |
Plant Height: | 15-30 feet |
Plant Spread: | 10- 20 feet - Habit is variable, but generally broad spreading; about 3/4 wide as it is tall. |
Leaves: | Deciduous |
Flowers: | Showy |
Flower Color: | Other: Grayish-pink to silvery, and about an inch in length. |
Flower Time: | Late winter or early spring |
Uses: | Provides winter interest Erosion control Flowering Tree Cut Flower |
Dynamic Accumulator: | Mg (Magnesium) |
Wildlife Attractant: | Bees |
Resistances: | Flood Resistant Drought tolerant Salt tolerant |
Propagation: Seeds: | Self fertile |
Propagation: Other methods: | Cuttings: Stem Other: Cuttings root easily and quickly in water; especially so if cut before leaves appear. |
Pollinators: | Bees |
Miscellaneous: | Dioecious |
Posted by chelle (N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b) on Jan 17, 2012 2:16 PM Catkin covered branches clipped from Salix caprea (French pussy willow), as well as S. matsudana 'Tortuosa' (corkscrew willow) can be utilized effectively in decorative floral arrangements. Seasonal shaping or rejuvenation of an overgrown pussy willow should be undertaken as soon as the vitality of the catkins decline. Shrubs in moisture retentive soil can easily accept a hard pruning of up to two-thirds of the plant at this time; without sacrificing next years catkin display. [ Reply to this comment | |
Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Sep 12, 2018 10:29 AM This Goat Willow or Eurasian Pussy Willow is a well-know woody plant by many, of course native to much of Europe and northern Asia. It is occasionally planted in landscapes and some are offered by many conventional nurseries. The leaves are about 2 to 5 inches long, with irregular teeth, wavy margins, and sort of a wrinkled aspect to the leaf. No real fall color. Like other willows, it is dioecious and there are separate male and female plants. It is only the male form that is used in horticulture in North America because the male form has the showier flowers. Therefore, this large shrub is not going to reproduce by seed in North America. It is fast growing of about 3 to 6 feet/year and lives up to 50 years. It is weak wooded and gets picked on by various cankers and leaf blights. It has a fibrous, shallow root system and is easy to transplant. It is easily propagated by stem cuttings in water or moist medium. (The American Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) is so very similar that differs in having twigs that mature to deep dark brown, has almost black buds, and the underside of the leaves are bluish-white and bloomy, the leaves should not be wrinkled in aspect, and the pussy flowers are slightly smaller.) Pussy or Goat Willow is not considered as an all-around wonderful large shrub for landscapes, but it is valued for its late winter flowers. [ Reply to this comment | |
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