A Pussy Willow Tree Tale

Walking through the front greenhouse at Hyannis Country Garden this morning, I spied the small pussy willow trees. We frequently have these for sale in the early spring, Some people display them on their kitchen tables as a sign that winter will come to an end soon. Others give them as gifts or even save them to plant outdoors in a fairy garden or miniature landscape; because the weeping part of these trees are grafted on a short trunk, they don’t grow much taller, but will grow wider over time.

These small trees caught my eye this morning because I remembered a time over 20 years ago when one of these plants was given to me as a gift. It was included in a miniature spring garden that Marsha Potash put together, and after the rest of the seasonal plants faded, the small tree was still in good shape. I transplanted it into a larger pot, and displayed it in the yard where it lived for over 15 years. The form was lovely in the summer and fall, and I loved how the weeping form looked when covered with a dusting of snow each winter. And of course, every spring when the pussy willows returned it made me smile.

I lost the tree two years ago…probably due to a dry summer and my lack of regular watering. But for many years it gave me such pleasure! Should you receive such a plant as a gift, or decide to get one as a present for yourself, know that you can grow this for many years, either in the ground or in a container.

Winter will come to an end soon.