In
early spring my Dad would take the whole family into the woods in search of the
native Pussy Willow (Salix discolor). This was a great adventure for us and we
never came home empty handed. I fondly remember stroking the fuzzy catkins — soft
as a kitten — lining the stems. This memory came back to me in March at a
landscape conference I attended. I was offered pussy willow branches that were on display arranged
in containers to take home. I was assured by the UNH Cooperative Extension
staff that they were very easy to root so I decided to give it a shot!
I
put the willow branches in a maple syrup bucket filled with water by my front
door. It was a lovely accent while waiting patiently to see if they would grow roots.
Coincidentally, I did find potted Pussy Willows at my local supermarket which I
purchased and planted, just in case I was unsuccessful with my efforts.
It
was many weeks later that I noticed the buds breaking and soft green leaves emerging. Most of the branches had grown roots. I planted
the rooting branches in various locations throughout my landscape.
Although normally found in sunny wet areas,
UNH has been growing them successfully in dryer locations. I am hoping(fingers crossed) to get them established and eventually
find a home for them in one of my projects. If you don’t have the resources and
time to root cuttings, look for container plants at your local garden center or
online.

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