Overview

Transform your outdoor space with this exceptional set of two pussy willow bare root trees. These 1-2 feet tall dormant live plants are a fantastic choice for gardeners seeking to add quick growth and unique texture to their landscape. Known for their distinctive fuzzy catkins that emerge in late winter to early spring, Pussy Willows (Salix discolor) are a harbinger of warmer weather and a delight to behold. These willows are robust, adaptable, and a popular selection for creating natural screens, adding ornamental interest, or stabilizing soil near water features. As a fast growing willow species, they quickly establish themselves, providing visual impact and ecological benefits.

Our bare root trees are carefully selected to ensure vigorous growth and health upon planting. Arriving dormant, they are in the ideal state for transplanting, minimizing shock and encouraging strong root development. Pussy Willows are celebrated for their resilience and ability to thrive in a variety of conditions, making them an excellent choice for both experienced and novice gardeners. They contribute significantly to local ecosystems, offering early pollen for bees and other beneficial insects. Prepare to enjoy the charm and vitality these remarkable trees will bring to your garden.

Key Benefits

Choosing these pussy willow bare root trees for your garden comes with a multitude of advantages. They are not only aesthetically pleasing but also offer practical benefits that enhance any outdoor setting.

• Rapid Growth and Establishment: Pussy Willows are renowned for their impressive growth rate, quickly filling in spaces and providing immediate impact in your landscape. This makes them ideal for establishing new garden areas or enhancing existing ones with speed.
• Distinctive Early Spring Interest: The soft, silvery catkins that appear before leaves in late winter or early spring are a unique and cherished feature, signaling the end of winter. These fuzzy blooms are highly decorative and can be cut for indoor arrangements.
• Cold-Hardy and Adaptable: These cold hardy shrubs are incredibly resilient, thriving in USDA Zones 4-9. They tolerate a wide range of soil types and environmental conditions, making them a reliable choice for various climates and garden settings.
• Excellent for Landscaping: Their mature size and spreading nature make them perfect for creating natural privacy screens, windbreaks, or as ornamental focal points in larger gardens. They are also well-suited for planting near ponds or streams.
• Low Maintenance and Easy Care: Once established, Pussy Willows require minimal care, making them an excellent option for gardeners who prefer a less demanding plant. They are generally resistant to most pests and diseases.
• Wildlife Attraction: The early blooming catkins provide an essential food source for pollinators like bees, contributing to the biodiversity and health of your garden ecosystem.
• Erosion Control: Their extensive root systems can help stabilize soil, particularly in areas prone to erosion, such as slopes or riverbanks. This makes them a practical as well as beautiful addition to your outdoor landscaping plants.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your pussy willow bare root trees is straightforward, allowing even beginners to achieve success. These resilient plants are quite forgiving, but providing optimal conditions will ensure their best growth and flowering. Proper planting and initial care are crucial for their establishment.

Planting should occur in early spring, as soon as the soil is workable, while the trees are still dormant. Choose a location with full sun to partial shade, ideally where they receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for the best catkin production. Dig a hole wide enough to spread out the roots without bending them, and deep enough so the root collar is level with the soil surface. Backfill with native soil, ensuring no air pockets, and water thoroughly. The Pussy Willow prefers consistently moist, well-draining soil. While adaptable to various soil types, they thrive in loamy or clay soils. Regular watering is essential during their first growing season to help establish a strong root system. Once established, they are more tolerant of drought but will perform best with consistent moisture, especially in hot, dry periods. Mulching around the base can help retain soil moisture and regulate temperature.

Pussy Willows are vigorous growers and benefit from annual pruning to maintain their shape, size, and encourage new growth and catkin production. The best time to prune is immediately after the catkins fade in spring. You can prune them hard, cutting back to a few inches from the ground, which will encourage an abundance of new, catkin-bearing branches the following year. Fertilization is generally not necessary unless your soil is very poor; if so, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring can be beneficial. These dormant willow plants are quite hardy, but protecting young trees from harsh winter winds in their first year can be helpful. Monitor for common willow pests like aphids or willow sawflies, addressing them with appropriate organic or chemical controls if necessary. With minimal effort, your fast growing willow trees will flourish.

Size & Details

This offering includes a set of two pussy willow bare root trees, each measuring approximately 1-2 feet in height upon arrival. These dormant live plants are ready for immediate planting in your garden beds, yards, or near water features. Pussy Willows are known for their rapid growth, with young trees quickly gaining height and spread. The mature size of a Pussy Willow can typically reach between 20-30 feet tall with a similar spread, forming a large shrub or small tree. Their growth rate contributes significantly to their appeal as outdoor landscaping plants, allowing for quick establishment of privacy screens or ornamental elements.

The bare root form ensures that the plants are lightweight and easy to handle, and it promotes robust root development once planted. These trees are hardy in USDA Zones 4-9, demonstrating their excellent tolerance to cold temperatures and adaptability to various environmental conditions. They are easy-to-grow, low-maintenance perennials that will provide years of enjoyment. Expect to see new growth emerge in spring after planting, followed by the development of their iconic catkins in subsequent late winters.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: These Pussy Willow bare roots will arrive 1-2 feet tall. At maturity, they can reach an impressive height of 20-30 feet and have a similar spread, forming a large, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, making them excellent cold hardy shrubs.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: These are outdoor plants, specifically designed for landscaping. They are best suited for planting in garden beds, yards, or near water features where they have ample space to grow and thrive.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: Pussy Willows prefer full sun to partial shade. For the best growth and most abundant catkin production, aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, Pussy Willows are considered easy to grow and low-maintenance once established. They are adaptable to various soil types and are quite resilient, making them suitable for gardeners of all experience levels.
• Q: What condition will the pussy willow bare root trees arrive in? A: Your trees will arrive as dormant bare roots, meaning they will not have leaves or be actively growing. This is the ideal state for transplanting and ensures minimal stress upon arrival.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these dormant willow plants? A: The best time to plant bare root Pussy Willows is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked, and before the plants break dormancy. This allows them to establish their root systems before the heat of summer.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Yes, Pussy Willows are very cold-hardy and thrive in USDA Zones 4-9. They are well-adapted to cold temperatures and will go dormant in winter, re-emerging with new growth in spring.
• Q: Can I prune these trees to keep them smaller? A: Absolutely! Pussy Willows respond very well to pruning. You can prune them annually in late spring after the catkins fade to manage their size and shape, encouraging a more compact form and stimulating new growth for the next season’s catkins.
• Q: What kind of soil do these fast growing willow trees prefer? A: They are quite adaptable but prefer consistently moist, well-draining soil. They can tolerate a range of soil types, including loamy and clay soils, but avoid extremely dry or waterlogged conditions.
• Q: How quickly will they grow after planting? A: Pussy Willows are known for their rapid growth rate. You can expect to see significant new growth in their first year after planting, especially with proper watering and care.