Pussy Willow
Salix discolor

Late winter catkins and early spring blooms. Erect, many-stemmed, deciduous shrub usually 20-25' high and 10-15' wide, with an open, rounded crown. An attractive willow that is cut of its long-lasting branches. It as been planted in swamps, shores, and steam banks to help stabilize the soils as well as for its beauty.

USDA symbol: SADI

General Information

Plant Type	Shrub
Height	6 to 15 feet
Light Exposure	Sun, Part Sun
Soil Moisture	Medium, Wet
Bloom Color	White, Yellow

Pussy Willow (Pussy Willow<div><em class="small">Salix discolor</em></div>) — Photo credit: Minnesota Wildflowers (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation Tolerance	Very High
General Resilience	8
Salt Tolerance	Medium
Stress Tolerance	Fire Tolerant, General Disturbance

Pollinator Value: Very High

Bloom Months	April to May
Larval Host of	Bees, Butterflies
Specific Pollinators Hosted	numerous bee species; Nymphalis antiopa, Numerous butterfly species
Pollinator Benefit	Insect Pollinated, Provides Nectar, Supports Generalists

Project Planning

Project Type	Erosion Control, Rain Garden, Restoration, Shoreline Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism	4
Herbivore Sensitivity	Medium
Lifespan	Perennial
Rate of Spread	Slow
Soil Stabilization	Deep
Vegetative Reproduction	Clonal

Range

County	Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Blue Earth, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Mahnomen, Marshall, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Nicollet, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Rice, Roseau, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine
Ecoregion	Driftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco Province	Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands