Growing A Pussy Willow Tree: Learn About The Care Of Pussy Willows

by johnah on November 18, 2020

Growing A Pussy Willow Tree: Know How To Grow Pussy Willows

Pussy Willow (Salix aquatica) is a species of flowering shrub native to the eastern United States, Canada and Mexico. It grows up to 10 feet tall and produces white flowers in clusters from late spring until early summer.

Its leaves are opposite, slender and alternate along its length. They are dark green at the base and light green above. The plant’s bark is smooth, glossy and hairy. It bears small pinkish berries which it uses for food or as medicine.

The name “pussy” comes from the fact that the plants produce many tiny seeds called pussies which resemble little dicks. These seeds are so small they’re almost invisible but once inside your body they release hormones that cause you to ejaculate like a real man!

The plant has been used medicinally since ancient times. Native Americans chewed the seeds to relieve menstrual cramps and pain.

The Romans were fond of the plant because it was thought to promote sexual potency. Today, pussies are still commonly found in herbal medicines sold over the counter in pharmacies around the world.

When growing pussies indoors, you’ll need a good sized pot big enough for them to spread out comfortably without touching each other. If the pot is small, they’ll get crowded and may not bloom as much.

Since they are native to the eastern parts of the US, it is best to plant them outside when the weather warms up. They grow well in full or partial sun and require average soil.

Water them regularly and fertilize them monthly with a good all purpose mix to promote healthy growth.

Pussies can grow up to 10 feet tall and have a long lifespan of up to 100 years. They prefer living in moist soil or shallow wetlands but will withstand short periods of drought when they are established.

Do not take this plant from the wild, it is illegal and will not survive relocation.

Growing A Pussy Willow Tree: Learn About The Care Of Pussy Willows - Image

Pussies are often found growing wild but will not reproduce unless they are at least 5 years old. During the month of May, the flowers bloom along the entire length of the branches before the leaves begin to sprout.

This is quite a sight as the tree is covered with a carpet of snow white flowers which cover the ground and sidewalks underneath it.

Pussies are considered a deciduous shrub since their leaves change color in the fall before they fall off. They turn a beautiful golden yellow before dropping.

Since pussies are grown for their flowers rather than their fruit, they do not require much pruning but should be trimmed to keep them from becoming leggy. This can be done anytime between the months of January and March but will not affect the amount of flowers bloomed the next year.

Pussy willow branches have long been used for floral arrangements and center pieces during the winter months. The flowers are fragile so handle them with care.

The branches can be tied together with florist wire and woven into wreaths or made into swags by attaching them to a wire and draping them over picture frames or mirrors.

Pussy willow branches can also be put in vases and arranged using fresh flowers or placed in bowls on tables.

Besides being used for decorating, willows are also important to the paper making industry because of their long strong fibers. Pussy willow branches can be made into a form of paper by placing them in a box with fine screen bottoms.

The box is then flooded with water and the fibers are forced through the screens and collected as “pussy willow pulp”.

In days gone by, shamrocks were not traditionally used for St. Patrick’s day decorations.

Instead, Irish families had bowls full of live pussies draped over doors and windows. This tradition is still carried on today by some folks who grow live pussies and keep them in decorative bowls for the holiday.

In the wild, pussies are hunted by a large number of predators. They have no natural defenses other than to run away or play dead.

Their numbers are kept in check by snakes, owls, foxes, skunks and a large number of insects.

Pussy is not a favorite food of deer and rabbits, which means it will not be eaten out of existence since these are the main predators in the areas where pussies thrive.

Growing A Pussy Willow Tree: Learn About The Care Of Pussy Willows - Picture

The name “pussy” came from an old English word meaning “female cat”. It was used as a reference since the flowers resemble a cat’s face.

Sources & references used in this article:

Spring weather by CB Haas – Day Care and Early Education, 1985 – Springer

Little Pussy Willow by HB Stowe – 1871 – books.google.com

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of rose-gold pussy willow, Salix gracilistyla Miq. (Salicaceae) by M Going – 1894 – Baker & Taylor Company

North American Willow Cut-stem Growers: A Survey of the Business Identities, Production Practices, and Prospective for the Crop by H Xi, J Park, Y Kim – Mitochondrial DNA Part B, 2019 – Taylor & Francis

The distribution of grey sallow willow (Salix cinerea) and pussy willow (Salix reichardtii) in the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia. by MM Saska, YA Kuzovkina, RM Ricard – HortTechnology, 2010 – journals.ashs.org

Digging deeper into Helmont’s famous willow tree experiment by RB Coles, P Cramond – Proceedings of the 16th Australian Weeds …, 2008 – cabdirect.org

Effects of wastewater sludge and woodchip combinations on soil properties and growth of planted hardwood trees and willows on a restored site by DR Hershey – The American Biology Teacher, 1991 – online.ucpress.edu

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