Weeping Pussy Willow: Salix Caprea Pendula Care
A Weeping Pussy Willow is a beautiful addition to a garden. Here are care tips to keep this small, attractive tree healthy and looking its best.
My San Francisco Bay Area client ordered the one from Wayside Gardens as a new plant around 2001, which I planted and then maintained. It’s not a plant commonly sold in those parts, so I was very curious to see how it would do.
Although there were quite a few Pussy Willows growing around the pond on my childhood farm in New England, I didn’t even know there was a weeping variety. Gardening is often experimentation, and I love weeping plants, so I said, “Why not give it a go?” Besides, it had already arrived on the doorstep.
I no longer live in San Francisco, and the owner recently sold the house. I maintained this plant for over fifteen years, and although I no longer am a professional gardener, this post badly needed an update!
Note: This post was published on 1/20/2016. It was updated on 2/26/2024.
Weeping Pussy Willow Plant Traits
Botanic Name: Salix caprea Pendula Common Name: Weeping Pussy Willow
Growing Zone
By the USDA Plant Hardiness Map, the Weeping Pussy Willow is recommended to be grown in zones 4-8. Zone 4 reaches -24 degrees F, so this plant can handle cold winters.
By the way, the one you see here grows in zone 9b – 10a. This is out of the recommended zone, but it’s doing good. I’ve seen a couple growing pondside in England; they were gorgeous!
I planted this one in the spring, but fall is fine, too, as long as it has time to settle in before a frost.
Size
This unique weeping garden accent shrub is already over 7′ tall. The width is about the same. I believe they max out at 8-10′.
It has a low canopy, not suitable for adults to sit or stand under. Her young nieces liked to sit under it and have private “fairy tea parties.”
Growth Rate
Pussy Willows grow at a fast rate. It has grown in width more than in height and turns into a massively foliated blob if not pruned two or three times a year in the temperate coastal California climate.
Big Draw
The rounded, interesting form and the fact that it stays small make it appealing. They’re the harbingers of spring, as their fuzzy catkins are some of the first to appear, even before the foliage.
Weeping Pussy Willow Care
These plants are tough and are pretty easy to maintain. We lovingly nicknamed the plant pictured here “Cousin Itt” & later shortened that to just “Itt.” And yes, when left unpruned, they turn into the leafy versions of the amusing character from the Addams Family.
Exposure
The Weeping Pussy Willow prefers full sun but will do fine in part sun as long as it’s afternoon sun. The one you see here is planted in a very sunny spot, but it’s on the California coast, so mornings and late afternoons are usually foggy.
Not enough sun equals poor flowering and a reduced growth rate.
Water Requirements
These plants like regular watering and look much better with it. This one is on drip irrigation and is located in a part of the garden where the water flows down a hill and collects in this spot.
Pussy Willows grow just fine alongside ponds and don’t mind having their feet moist in soggy soils. They can even tolerate standing water. If yours has dried out, be sure to give it a long drink of water.
Soil
Simply put, the WPW isn’t fussy about soil but prefers it slightly on the acidic side. If you think yours needs a bump up on the nourishment factor, you can amend the soil with leaf mold or a good local compost – the plant will love you.
I planted this one in the spring, but fall is fine, too, as long as it has time to settle in before a frost.
Feeding
I’ve never fertilized this one, but threw lots of leaf mold, compost, and coco coir into the hole upon planting. This garden gets a 2-3″ top dressing of a local, organic compost (over ten cubic yards of it!) every two years, which the Weeping Pussy Willow thoroughly enjoys.
I don’t think yours will need it, but a balanced all-purpose fertilizer (10-10-10 or 15-15-15) applied once during the growing season will help out if you feel it’s nutrient-deprived.
Pruning
This one has grown in width more than in height and turns into a massively foliated blob if not pruned two or three times a year in the temperate coastal California climate.
Some people just let theirs go in terms of pruning. These look great in more of a natural setting. The garden this WPW grows in is a cultivated, semi-formal style, so the plant looks better thinned out and opened up a bit.
I love to prune, and giving Cousin Itt a haircut was a creative challenge I actually enjoyed. The best time to prune this plant is in the early spring after it flowers.
Because the one you see here grows in a temperate climate, I pruned it three times a year to keep it in a more refined form. Once in early spring, once in midsummer, and once in early fall.
In 2011, I had to rehab it from a terrible pruning job, a severe hack, I tell you! Because these weepers grow vigorously and are so tough, this one returned to its former self within a year or so.
I gave this Weeping Pussy Willow a year or two to get going before I pruned it. Here’s how I pruned this plant when it got older and more established. Make sure your pruning tools are clean and sharp.
1) Remove all the sprouts coming off the trunk.
2) Remove the branches that cross over other branches.
3) Thin out the main branches to open the plant up.
4) Remove some of the smaller branches on the top that are growing upwards. Remove all branches growing up if you don’t want your plant to grow any taller. This plant is slowly getting taller because I leave about half of them.
5) Remove some branches that grow laterally off the main branches. This branching tends to occur on the bottom half of the branches.
6) In all of the previous steps, be sure to take the branches you’re pruning off all the way back to a main branch. Otherwise, you’ll get more lateral growth than you want.
7) I prune the remaining branches up a few inches off the ground. Even though this causes lateral branching, I don’t want it smothering all the poor unsuspecting plants below.
Staking
As the image above shows, this small tree needed to be staked. This unusual tree grows in a windy valley just seven blocks from the Pacific Ocean and blew over in one of the winter storms when it was about eight years old. A few days later, it was uprighted, and a large lodge pole stake was added.
It has a bit of a lean, but it’s so full it’s hard to notice. This plant is very resilient, I tell you!
Flowering
This is one of the Pussy Willow features that people love! These harbingers of spring have large fuzzy catkins, which are inflorescences of many tiny flowers.
The grey furry “pussies” (no dirty minds here, please!) are what we love to cut on long branches and put in a vase in spring. The masses of tiny yellow flowers will later emerge from those furry nodes.
Here are two reasons that your Weeping Pussy Willow may not be flowering:
1) Not enough sun OR
2) A late frost strikes after the catkins have started to appear and wipes out the flowering.
Pests
One year, this plant had a mild infestation of scale insects. We used neem oil to control it. They’re also susceptible to aphids and caterpillars.
Important Things To Know
1) This plant is grafted. I show the graft in the video below and the photo with the arrow.
A Weeping Pussy Willow is grafted on top of a regular Pussy Willow trunk to get the tree form. So, never cut off below the graft because the plant will revert to the bush form.
2) The Weeping Pussy Willow is a deciduous tree, so don’t worry when it starts to lose its pointy leaves.
3) If you want your PW to grow taller, leave some of the new shoots emerging at the top.
Pussy Willow Care FAQS
Yes, you can. As the plant ages, it’ll need a large container (with drainage holes) to accommodate the root ball size. Pussy Willows like rich soil, so be sure to amend with compost. They need a sunny location and naturally grow in wet areas, so don’t let yours completely dry out.
I honestly don’t know how long they ultimately live. This one was planted in 2001; I last saw it in 2019, and it looked good. You want to make sure it’s getting the light and water it needs. Most need staking, especially when establishing. Depending on the look you’re going for, you can let it become a full blob; you’ll need to do some pruning.
I’d avoid it. This ornamental tree grows densely, and the roots can be invasive. Besides, the plants underneath would be shaded out. I planted a Sprengeri Fern (another toughie) about 3′ from the trunk of this plant, and it scampered all around it.
It would certainly appreciate that. We applied a 3″ layer of mulch (locally produced) in late winter/early spring every other year. This one was growing in a climate with dry summers, so the mulch helped hold the soil moisture in.
Weeping Pussy Willow Video Guide:
Conclusion: Weeping Pussy Willow trees are easy as pie if you don’t mind doing some pruning every now and then. They need a good amount of sun, regular watering, and to be staked when young. Warning: this small ornamental tree may steal the show in your garden!
Happy Gardening,
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- About the Author
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Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.
I’m thinking of replacing a Weeping Hemlock that died this past winter with a Weeping Pussy Willow & appreciate this article.
Thank you very much Charles. The Weeping Pussy willow requires some pruning but it’s a beautiful plant. Nell
I recently (like 5 days ago) planted 2 Weeping Pussy Willows, but one seems to be dying. It’s leaves have all dried up and are now crisp. The other is doing great! I water them in the morning, afternoon and evening, but have been giving the dying one some refreshment in between.
Any suggestions to save this beauty?
Hi Elizabeth – When newly planted plants show signs of stress very early on, it’s usually caused by a few reasons: it was a weak plant, it’s going through transplant shock, it wasn’t planted correctly, there’s something up with the soil or it’s not getting enough water. It’s always interesting (for lack of a better word!) when 1 plant does fine & it’s neighbor doesn’t. Pussy Willows are very tough plants & they do like a fair amount of water in general. The good news is that it could very easily grow all it’s foliage back. I’d back off on the watering & give it a deep watering every 2-5 days (depending on the root ball size) until it establishes. They like organic matter so a dose of that wouldn’t hurt. Nell
Thanks Nell! The dirt here is a clay mix, so I planted it with about 25% of the natural dirt here and the rest with organic soil. We’re in a new neighborhood with sod that needs watered a lot, would the extra watering hurt it? I could aim the sprinkler away from it, if needed. The root ball was in a 12 inch pot, the willow itself is about 6 foot tall. I hope it comes back!
They are such beautiful trees and the one in your video is gorgeous! Thank you for posting this page!
Hi Nell. We moved into our new place 4 months ago and have one of these but it’s been planted in a very cramped area. I would love to re-plant it in the middle of a larger lawn. Have you any idea how wide the root system gets on these trees? I’m not sure of the age of it though – it’s about 5 foot tall. Thanks in advance mark
H Mark – Pussy Willows are vigorous growers & from what I learned from this 1, they have an extensive root system. Smaller, fibrous roots which grow near the surface & then they also have those main roots which travel out & down. If the plant is 5′ tall, the rootball is probably around 4′. Depending on your climate, do the transplanting in spring or fall. Nell
I ordered a weeping pussy willow–when it came it was broken. It had previously established top (pussy puff buds for leaves). I am scarded that my plant will die!! What am I to do?
Hi – I’m not sure if the top was broken or just some branches. Have you contacted the company you ordered it from? Nell
Hello,
I have enjoyed your article and ideas on these lovely trees. I’ve had them in the past but last year, I bought one and it was doing fine in a large container. I kept it there because I wanted to be able to take it with me as I thought I would be moving soon.
I’m not sure what is happening, but after blooming in the spring and looking gorgeous, it suddenly has gotten very dry and appears to be dying–but not. Do they go dormant at times? Is it that it needs to be planted in the ground and that the container is too binding, perhaps?
Trying so hard to save it as you don’t see them much around my area. 🙁 I am in South Central PA and I just happened to find this lovely tree at the local Wal-Mart last year.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!!
Hi Valerie – Depending on where you live, Pussy Willows are loose their leaves in fall or winter. They start to flower & put out foliage in late winter or spring. They should not be dormant at this time of year. I’ve never grown 1 in a container but I’ve read they do fine in large containers. As they grow the roots grow too. Perhaps the root ball is getting crowded which means you need to water it more. Pussy Willows like a good amount of water. Nell
Thank you so much for this article! I have a small weeping pussy willow tree that has been doing fine for about 2 1/2 years. It was loaded with catkins in spring, but has never budded out with leaves this year. There are live shoots around the bottom, but nothing on the branches. We did have a frost when the catkins were on–could that have killed the leaf buds?? Some of the branches are still flexible, but some snap when bent. Thoughts?? I really don’t want to lose this tree!
Hi Sue – You’re most welcome. The live shoots coming off the base should be removed if you want to keep the weeping form. Yes, a late frost can knock back the emergence of the foliage. I’d leave it be right now (if any of the branches are obviously dead you can remove them) until next spring. Nell
Hi, my Weeping pussy willow is about 4 yrs old. The branches grow like crazy. After they hit the ground, then they grow out. I have to keep trimming because trunk is only about 1 1/2 ft
off the ground. It has not grown in height since i got it.
Why do you think this is? could it be too close to the porch ?
Hi Helen – The reason is because the weeping part is grafted onto the trunk which actually is the bush form. The trunk doesn’t grow too much below the graft. The WPW you see in this post was bought & planted with the trunk at this height. I’ve trained the part above the graft to grow upward so the plant has gotten taller. Hope that helps, Nell
Hi Nell – I had one of these bought me for my birthday this year, I like in the UK and as you will probably know, we do not get that much sun here. It was coming on brilliantly, looking really healthy and I notice some of the leaves were being eaten , by what I have no idea as I could never see anything. Also just recently I have noticed orange like rust spots on the underside of some leaves. From it looking so nice it now looks a bit pathetic, a lot of the leaves on this had gone very brown and it just looks as though is was dying but there are loads of new shoots along the branches. Can you advise me about this and also what I can do about these spots on the leaves. Loves reading your article. Many thanks Christine
Hi Christine – I’ve been to the UK many times & know how different our climates are. It sounds like you have rust or leaf spot (both are fungal diseases). You want to remove the damaged foliage & dispose of it, in the garbage not the compost. If it’s not a bad case, a homemade spray of baking soda & water usually works. Also, their are fungicides on the market containing copper or sulfur which are organic. Either way, be sure to also spray the undersides of the leaves & the stems. Nell
HI my leaves are also the same I have noticed that tiny caterpillars are eating the leaves
Hi Ann – Yes, Pussy Willows can be susceptible to caterpillars eating the leaves. It doesn’t happen every season, but it’s common. Nell
Hi Nell – we live in southern England and have recently moved to a wonderful garden with a lovely weeping pussy willow. It was gorgeous when we arrived here in February. The garden is quite dry but has a thriving apple and pear tree right next to the pussy willow. The tree now looks as though it has died 🙁 We have been away a lot over the summer and it has been very good weather here – little rain. We have tried watering it but I am very concerned about it . Any thoughts on what I can do – do I prune it or just leave it and hope.
Hi Gill – Pussy Willows like a fair amount of water. The Weeping Pussy Willow part doesn’t grow as big as the base part it’s grated onto. That’s a regular pussy willow which roots deep & quite extensively. I’d leave it be until next spring & see how it does then. In the meantime, give it 1 or 2 good, deep waterings per week. Nell
My son bought me one for Mother’s Day and it is doing great. The problem is I did not know how to prune it, but now I do, from you video. My tree is growing branches from the ground up and growing though the weeping part of the tree. They are straight branches. Do I just prune them off?
Hi Nancy – Those straight branches which emerge from the base are suckers coming out the trunk which the weeping part is grafted onto. So yes, cut them off entirely. Hope that helps! Nell
Hysterical. We moved to our new place in Oct. in the Pacific Northwest (SW WASH.) and not knowing what it was, have been calling our tree Cousin Itt for 4 months. Catkins coming out now (Feb) despite a hard winter. This one is at least 15ft tall…And now we know how to care for it. Thanks so much.
Hi Robin – So funny you can relate to the name “Cousin Itt” as it suits that plant to a T! Glad I could help you with the care & pruning. Nell
Hi Nell,
Lived all your great information on the WPW! My husband just bought me one for valentines day, it’s in about a 6″ pot and the tree is about 20″tall, so very small. It’s just beautiful and I understand the care of it but don’t quite understand the pruning in order for it to to continue growing taller. I know I won’t prune it till the fall but can you try and enlighten me a little on what I’ll need to do to this previous little tree? Much appreciation,
Sheila Roth
Hi Sheila – The top weeping part is grafted onto the trunk. This means the trunk won’t grow any taller than it is. To get the weeping part to grow taller, you have to encourage the upward growth. Do this by thinning out & pruning some of the weeping stems. I explain in in the posts & videos I’ve done on this plant. It took me quite a few years to get this plant as tall as it is now! Nell
Well, I’m looking at my plant (still inside ) wondering if it will be ok, later when planting time comes..Too cold to plant outside now., I guess.
Hi – If you’re in a temperate climate, now is fine. Otherwise, wait until the ground thaws & there’s no danger of frost. Nell
I just purchased a small Wei g pussy willow. I u Der stand that the piece it is grafted to will not grow. Do you think it. Will do well in a sunny room. Room has skylights and many windows. I am concerned that the plant will freeze and die outside in the winter. Live in Tidewater area of Virginia. Our weather has been very changeable late.yesterday.
Hi Odell – Weeping Pussy Willows are hardy in USDA zones 4-8. Plant it outside once the danger of freeze has passed. They don’t do well indoors. Nell
Hi, I have had the weeping willow going on 2 years,this spring I haven’t had any sight of new growth. Is it time to pull it up? We have had a very dry winter. I’m really afraid my willow has died?
Hi Penny – The Weeping Pussy Willow that you see survived 5 years of California drought. It did get a bit of supplemental water each winter. If you had a late cold spell or frost, it could have knocked it back. Nell
Hi Nell, I have a 9 year old weeping pussy willow that is a club house for the birds I feed. Last year I noticed all the leaves on top were gone and not growing anywhere but on the ends of the branches. I’m hoping my feathered friends have not damaged the tree. I noticed now this year that the leaves are still not returning. Could the branches all be dead except on the ends? Can this little tree be saved by trimming all the branches. Will they return and weep again. I know this will make the tree look funky for a while, but would be worth it if it will grow back. Thanks!
Hi Annette – I’ve never had that happen so I can’t say for sure. I’ll share a post with you: https://www.joyusgarden.com/how-not-to-prune-a-weeping-plant/ The gardener cut this Weeping Pussy Willow back way too far & I worked with it for a year. It returned to its former glory despite the hack job. This may help you out! Nell
how close to a house can you plant these little trees? I am wanting to plan one about 4 feet from my house but afraid of the root growth. any help would be appreciated.
Hi Karla – That’s way too close. Pussy Willow roots reach for water & can be quite aggressive. At least 15′ away from the house or any structure is what you want. Nell
Hi Nell,
I looked at the link above where you have helped to restore a “hacked weeping willow”. What if the zealous pruner cut below some of the graft? all branches are growing upwards now.
Hi Letty – The graft is a standard Pussy Willow. If you cut below the graft, it reverts to bush form. Nell
Hi Nell – I have a pussy willow which was doing quite well until the gardeners pruned it last fall. Now it appears to be dead – no leaves at all. Is there anything that I can do to bring it back? I don’t want to give up on it.
Hi Mary Ann – The same thing happened to this Weeping Pussy Willow a few years back & it recovered. You can read about it here: https://www.joyusgarden.com/weeping-pussy-willow/ Compost it, leave it be & se if it starts to recover. Nell
I recently bought a small Weeping Pussy Willow tree, although I have never seen one before. It is a very young plant and is a graft. It is only about two feet tall and has flowered and is sprouting new growth. I’ve named her Maggie Mae, and now I need to know how to care for her since she is so young. Is it too early to plant here outside, I live on the southern coast of North Carolina and have very little shade. Our summer is just beginning. Also I will be gone for about a week and wonder if the plant will be ok without watering for that long. Thanks for any suggestions. Maggie Mae and I will forever be grateful.
Hi Jean – I affectionately named the one in the post “Cousin Itt”. Yes, you can certainly plant it now because I assume all danger of frost has passed in NC. These plant like regular water, especially when they’re that small. If you get rain the week you’re gone, then it’ll be fine. If there’s no rain on the horizon, then you should get someone to water it once or twice while you’re gone. Nell
Hi my weeping willow tree is over 20 ft tall and doesn’t weep! Only a small part one part of the trunk that branches off weeps.???what am I doing wrong? What should I do??
Hi Laurie – A Weeping Pussy Willow is actually the a weeping plant grafted onto the trunk of a bush pussy willow. Sounds like it was cut below the graft & now is reverting to the bush form. Check & make sure the graft (the bit fat swollen part) is still there. Nell
Hi – I bought a dwarf weeping pussy willow and planted it this past spring. Wasn’t sure it would “take” because it was outgrowing it’s pot too early for outdoor planting. Luckily it wasn’t a bad spring, and this little cutie is growing new branches like crazy! Unfortunately, they are reaching to and trailing along the soil. Is it too early to prune it back? We live in SW PA. I now wish it wasn’t such a dwarf, because with it being only about 16″ tall, I’m going to have to keep trimming if it shouldn’t have leaves and branches on the ground. Anything I can do? Thanks
Hi Mary Ann – The best time to prune a WP is right after it flowers. The 1 you see in this blog is on the coast of CA so I prune it about 3 or 4 times a years to keep the shape my client loved. Prune those branches off the ground (now is fine but not too much later where you are) to encourage some upwards growth. Nell
Just got I think is a dwaf wpw about 16″tall weeping branches w green buds and some yellowish flowers? As it is February will it survive indoors until April I live in mass
Yes Deb, the catkins get covered with tiny yellow flowers. WPWs are very cold tolerant, so if have a garage with windows or a room in your house with windows which stays cooler, that would be best. Be careful not to overwater it. Nell
Hi, Nell,
I am interested in getting a weeping pussy willow for a friend. Do you know where I can find one? I’ve been looking all over the internet — no luck.
Thanks, Margaret
Hi Margaret – they are popular yet hard to find! We got my client’s WPTree online at Wayside Gardens. Here’s another source but I’m not sure of their quality: https://www.farmerseed.com/store/7001-weeping-pussy-willow Hope you find it! Nell
May 11th 2018 7:29 a.m. Good morning Nell I greatly appreciate your video and all your experiences with the WPW I too was gifted a grafted 12″ WPW (Cousin It) in March it’s been in the house sitting in my North picture window doing very well sprouting out many shoots from the top. it’s been above 40° at night I was told to wait at least until after Mother’s Day. I have been watching several videos until I found yours it is very informative however my little grafted cousin it is so small and I heard you say THE TRUMP WOULD NOT GET TALLER?. I really wanted to put it in the ground in front of my house where the sun comes up behind my house and over-the-top and sets in the front I’m facing north. I’m not sure what to do at this point I was told I could put it in a pot and leave it on my front porch. I cannot find a video to help me with this issue so if you could please I’d greatly appreciate it. Leonor V zone 5
Hi Leonor – The trunk won’t grow too much if any taller because it’s a graft. It will grow fatter. The plant will get taller though as the branches grow. The one you see pictured here was 3′ tall when it was planted & is now about 7′ tall. You can put it in the ground if you’d like because WPWs are hardy to zone 4. Nell
Hi I have one of these trees and last year a bug ate every leaf off the tree. The leaves turned brown and shriveled up. It never regret leaves last year. It now looks and feels dead and hasn’t regrown any leaves. However there are shoots coming off the bottom. Is this tree saveable? Can I prune the top completely back?
Hi Holly – I’m not sure where you are & what bug ate it so I can’t say. Weeping Pussy Trees are grafted. If you cut the plant all the way back below the graft, it’ll revert to bush form. That’s why the sprouts are at the base. Nell
my tree bloomed alittle this year had alot of cold days now my tree leaves are browning and dying off my limbs have alot of green still in them and some are brown and brittle. please dont want to lose this it was a mothers day gift from my daughter. what to do
Hi Patricia – I don’t know where the tree is growing & what size it is so it’s hard to say. They’re hardy to around -25F. Wait a little longer, see how it does, & then prune as necessary. Nell
Thanks for helpful articles and videos! I have a weeping pussywillow that suddenly bent over after an ice storm. It seems the deer have been munching the bark at the base which weakened it.
It seems to be healing but it’s very bent! I have put two heavy-duty metal stakes and Ann slowly tightening rubber chain to pull it upright again, gently and slowly. Is there a better method for it? Thanks!
Hi Bryna – The one that you see here completely blew over in a strong winter wind/rain storm about 6 years ago. We straightened it back up completely with 2 very thick lodge poles (pounded deep into the ground) & firmly attached it with rubber tire tree ties. The plant recovered beautifully & is now quite large. You’ll want to make sure it’s as straight as possible when the winter comes. Nell
Hello,
I recently tried to re-transplant my WPW that is 1 year old. Upon digging underneath l ended up snapping the main root as it grew out of the flower bed and into the lawn/grass. I had no idea how aggressive the roots are. Can you advise if it will now die?
Hi Amanda – WPWs have deep, spreading roots. If the plant has enough remaining roots, it should be fine. Nell
Hi
I recently bought a weeping willow, for the first couple of weeks it has been looking really healthy, but the last couple of days the leaves appear to be drying up, I have been heavily watering it every day, does anyone have any idea what is happening or if im doing anything wrong.
Regards
Hi Viv – I’m not sure what situation it’s growing in (pot, in the ground, full sun, what kind of soil, etc) so it’s hard to say. It could be going through an adjustment phase or if you’re watering it heavily every day, the plant might be getting too much water. Nell
Greetings,
I was checking out stuff I could find on the web about the care and feeding of a weeping pussy willow because there are at the local grocery store (!?) potted ones. They are in like 8″ pots and the graft is only about a foot up.
I was wondering if they will even grow at my house, which is beach front. I wondered if it would do on the street side, not the beach side of the house. Of course the soil is very sandy (need fertilizer and more compost regularly?) and drains fast, but there is a place in the front that will flood for about 30 minutes with a good rain. Like I said it drains fast. There of course is plenty of sun.
It’s the salt I’m worried about. And with such a short graft, the tree won’t get very tall, will it? Not 8′!
Would it do in a big pot, y’think? (I could bring it in during hurricanes 😛 )
…or should I give it to my friends who live inland….
Hi Gray – If the graft is only a foot up, it’ll take it a very long time to get any height to it. The one that you see here is about 1/4 mile from the Pacific Ocean just south of SF. They do fine in containers so if you’re going to try it, that’s how I’d do it. I’m not sure of your location (hurricanes – Florida, the Bahamas, Louisiana, Mexico etc?) so I can’t say for sure if it’ll survive the beach environ. Nell
My Weeping Pussy Willow just seems to sit there and not get any taller. What can I do to get it to grow UP? I have never pruned it but I think I should.
Hi Pauline – This will help you out: https://www.joyusgarden.com/train-weeping-pussy-willow-grow-taller/ Nell
My weeping PW also looks like Cousin It. It has 100s of twigs growing from it. I see no catkins or fur-buds on it yet, and every year, it seems to just leaf out, instead of making catkins. I am in Rochester, NY – zone 6a. (I also got it from Wayside Gardens over 12 years ago) It seems like you are pruning out almost all the tiny (but 2-3ft) twigs out, and leaving the main branches only. Am I correct? I can send photos if that helps
Hi Linda – Yes, this WPW grows so densely & so fast that I prune off most of the small growth which grows out & also up. It does produce catkins in late winter. Nell
I purchased my wow at a grocery store in late january. It came in an 8 inch pot and had catkins that then flowered with the yellow stamen. We put it in the garage because the pollen was getting all over the kitchen. We keep it wet/moist and it seems to like having wet feet. After the yellow pollen fell it has started to grow from each catkins with little green leafy shoots. I think it is cute that way. My question is are those little green shoots wow or do the revert to Bush? I hate to trim them off as they give the plant such wonderful personality, but I will do so if it is trying to revert. All the new growth is coming on the weeping part of the tree, the growth is coming from where the catkins were. Can I keep the growth or will it revert to bush? There is no growth coming from the actual stem below the graft, so I am encouraged to think that it is wow growth, not bush.
Hi Diana – A WPW is a grafted plant. The only way your WPW will revert to bush form is if you prune off the part below the graft. The stem gets occasional shoots but most of the growth should be above the graft. Nell
I planted this willow last spring and it seemed like this spring everything started out alright but now it has no leaves and the bids didn’t open up. Real talk, is there any salvaging this poor tree?
Bevlyn – Pussy Willows need plenty of water to survive. Scratch a bit of the bark off & see if the tree is still alive. Nell
Can a Weeping Pussy Willow Tree that has been grafted be kept in a planter
Yes. Unless it’s a dwarf, you’ll need to increase the pot size as the plant grows to accommodate the root ball. Nell
I have purchased two starter weeping pussy willow trees. They are now in a pot. Since it’s now summer, can I take them outside or just keep them indoors.
Hi Dale – I’ve never grown 1 outdoors. I don’t think it would do well for the long haul. Nell