Pussy Willows?

**Mischka** · April 25, 2007

I was walking up in the back of my property yesterday and came across two pussy willow bushes growing wild. They are both about 5 feet high, with several leaders that form a cluster.

I'd like to transplant them to my yard but I'm not sure if it's a good idea since I've read that they can become invasive.

Do any of you have them growing in your yard? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Granny · April 25, 2007

Lucky you! I was just reading about how to taken cuttings from them not an hour ago. (Might be too late this year but dead easy.) We have moved Swamp Pinks in the past, but not pussy willow.

bcday · April 25, 2007

I didn't find the plants themselves to be invasive, but the roots can be a problem if they are near any pipes. Pussy willows are swamp plants and the roots will seek water and clog up any water or sewer line that they can reach.

If yours are 5 feet high, you might prefer to start cuttings rather than move the whole plant. Or, since you will probably be pruning the stems back if you do move the whole plant, you can root the trimmings as insurance.

The cuttings are really easy to root in water or moist soil if they are young wood from last year's new growth. Old wood doesn't root so well.

**Mischka** · April 25, 2007

I'm headed out with shovel and fork to dig them up now.

I'll be sure I don't place them anywhere near my septic line or leach field. I've got more swamp here than Jed Clampett so maybe I'll plant it close to the water's edge.

flowerpower · April 25, 2007

Willow love it swampy. I have a weeping willow that I started from a cutting around 11 yrs ago. I purposely planted it in a very dry area to control the growth. So far- so good.

akgardengirl · April 26, 2007

I don't think that they are invasive as the ones around the yard here have managed to stay in place. They are our indicator of spring up here. They are late coming out this year and I did hear that we are about 2 weeks behind in spring weather.
Sue B.

Trudi · April 29, 2007

I've never grown them but I had a neighbor with several that were huge...nearly as tall as her house. We were about eigth feet from a kill and maybe forty feet above the water flow. Ada NEVER watered her lawn or plants and her PWs thrived.

All willows are super easy from cuttings, just cut off several pieces with a diameter less than the width of a lady's pinky and shove them down into a pail of moist soil. You won't need any rooting hormone. Place the container in shaded spot and in a few weeks you should have roots. At the end of a few months you can knock over the bucket and separate the rooted cuttings. I have a bucket of rooting squiggly willows outside that has about fifty pieces in it and it looks like they're all 100% rooted--I see them all leafing out and some are blooming!

Love2Troll · April 29, 2007

There is nothing easier to root from cuttings than a willow (salax). I'm growing a couple varieties of pussy willow in containers only for rooting and grafting purposes. 'Willow water' works just as well as indole-3-butyric acid to stimulate root growth on cuttings.

flowerpower · April 30, 2007

You can root willow in plain water. I use a soda bottle. Then you use that water to root other plants. It's a great rooting liquid.

salix · February 16, 2008

Agreed - most willow is very easy to root. (and the willow water is great for rooting other things)

Once took some very old (at least 6 months) dry lengths of willow branch and poked them criss cross lattice fashion in front of a flower bed to keep the neighbourhood dogs out - most of them rooted...

April 25, 2007	#1
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	Pussy Willows? I was walking up in the back of my property yesterday and came across two pussy willow bushes growing wild. They are both about 5 feet high, with several leaders that form a cluster. I'd like to transplant them to my yard but I'm not sure if it's a good idea since I've read that they can become invasive. Do any of you have them growing in your yard? Any suggestions would be appreciated. __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

April 25, 2007	#4
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	I'm headed out with shovel and fork to dig them up now. I'll be sure I don't place them anywhere near my septic line or leach field. I've got more swamp here than Jed Clampett so maybe I'll plant it close to the water's edge. __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

April 26, 2007	#6
akgardengirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anchorage, AK zone 3/4 Posts: 1,410	pussy willows I don't think that they are invasive as the ones around the yard here have managed to stay in place. They are our indicator of spring up here. They are late coming out this year and I did hear that we are about 2 weeks behind in spring weather. Sue B.

April 29, 2007	#7
Trudi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: East Meadow, Long Island Posts: 139	I've never grown them but I had a neighbor with several that were huge...nearly as tall as her house. We were about eigth feet from a kill and maybe forty feet above the water flow. Ada NEVER watered her lawn or plants and her PWs thrived. All willows are super easy from cuttings, just cut off several pieces with a diameter less than the width of a lady's pinky and shove them down into a pail of moist soil. You won't need any rooting hormone. Place the container in shaded spot and in a few weeks you should have roots. At the end of a few months you can knock over the bucket and separate the rooted cuttings. I have a bucket of rooting squiggly willows outside that has about fifty pieces in it and it looks like they're all 100% rooted--I see them all leafing out and some are blooming! __________________ When Hell freezes over the Devil will Winter Sow.

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April 25, 2007	#2
Granny Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 507	Lucky you! I was just reading about how to taken cuttings from them not an hour ago. (Might be too late this year but dead easy.) We have moved Swamp Pinks in the past, but not pussy willow.

April 25, 2007	#3
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	I didn't find the plants themselves to be invasive, but the roots can be a problem if they are near any pipes. Pussy willows are swamp plants and the roots will seek water and clog up any water or sewer line that they can reach. If yours are 5 feet high, you might prefer to start cuttings rather than move the whole plant. Or, since you will probably be pruning the stems back if you do move the whole plant, you can root the trimmings as insurance. The cuttings are really easy to root in water or moist soil if they are young wood from last year's new growth. Old wood doesn't root so well.

April 25, 2007	#5
flowerpower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Catskill Mountains, NY Z5 Posts: 94	Willow love it swampy. I have a weeping willow that I started from a cutting around 11 yrs ago. I purposely planted it in a very dry area to control the growth. So far- so good.

April 29, 2007	#8
Love2Troll Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 64079 (Missouri) Posts: 252	There is nothing easier to root from cuttings than a willow (salax). I'm growing a couple varieties of pussy willow in containers only for rooting and grafting purposes. 'Willow water' works just as well as indole-3-butyric acid to stimulate root growth on cuttings.

April 30, 2007	#9
flowerpower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Catskill Mountains, NY Z5 Posts: 94	You can root willow in plain water. I use a soda bottle. Then you use that water to root other plants. It's a great rooting liquid.

February 16, 2008	#10
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Agreed - most willow is very easy to root. (and the willow water is great for rooting other things) Once took some very old (at least 6 months) dry lengths of willow branch and poked them criss cross lattice fashion in front of a flower bed to keep the neighbourhood dogs out - most of them rooted...