Salix discolor

Read about Salix discolor in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Salix discolor, Muhl. Pussy Willow. Figs. 3521, 3522, 3527. A shrub or short-trunked tree, 10-20 ft. high: buds very large and nearly black: lvs. smooth and bright green above, whitish beneath, irregularly crenate-serrate: aments appear early in spring, before the lvs., closely sessile, enveloped in long, silky hairs. E. N. Amer.—Worthy of more extended cult. and thriving in dry ground. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

? Salix discolor secure
Shoot with leaves
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malpighiales Family: Salicaceae Genus: Salix Species: S. discolor
Binomial name
Salix discolor Muhl.

Salix discolor (American Pussy Willow) is a species of willow native to North America, one of two species commonly called Pussy Willow.

Branch with catkins in early spring

It is native to the northern forests and wetlands of Canada (British Columbia east to Newfoundland) and the northeastern contiguous United States (Idaho south to Wyoming, and east to Maine and Maryland).

It is a weak-wooded deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 6 m tall, with brown shoots. The leaves are oval, 3-14 cm long and 1-3.5 cm broad, green above and downy grey-white beneath. The flowers are soft silky silvery catkins, borne in early spring before the new leaves appear, with the male and female catkins on different plants (dioecious); the male catkins mature yellow at pollen release. The fruit is a small capsule 7-12 mm long containing numerous minute seeds embedded in cottony down.

Cultivation and uses

Like other willows, it contains salicin, and was used by Native Americans as a painkiller.

As with the closely related Salix caprea (European Pussy Willow), it is also often grown for cut flowers. See Pussy Willow for further cultural information and uses.