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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 TypeShrub
Height6 to 15 feet
Light ExposureSun, Part Sun
Soil MoistureMedium, Wet
Bloom ColorWhite, Yellow
Pussy Willow (Pussy Willow<div><em class="small">Salix discolor</em></div>)
Photo credit: Minnesota Wildflowers (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceVery High
General Resilience8
Salt ToleranceMedium
Stress ToleranceFire Tolerant, General Disturbance

Pollinator Value: Very High

Bloom MonthsApril to May
Larval Host ofBees, Butterflies
Specific Pollinators Hostednumerous bee species; Nymphalis antiopa, Numerous butterfly species
Pollinator BenefitInsect Pollinated, Provides Nectar, Supports Generalists

Project Planning

Project TypeErosion Control, Rain Garden, Restoration, Shoreline Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism4
Herbivore SensitivityMedium
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadSlow
Soil StabilizationDeep
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyAitkin, 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
EcoregionDriftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands