Salix discolor, commonly called American Pussy Willow, is a native deciduous large shrub or small tree 10 to 15 feet tall and maybe half as wide. It is typically found in the wild growing in moist to wet soils in meadows, swamps and along lakes and streams. It is dioecious, meaning male and female catkins appear on separate plants. In winter, the male produces larger pearl-gray furry catkins while the female produces grey-green catkins, resembling the pads of a cat paw, hence the name. Just before the foliage emerges in spring the catkins open to reveal showy, fuzzy, bottlebrush-like flowers. The fact that the pussy willow blooms so early makes it a very valuable food source for beneficial pollinators and songbirds. Attractive, rounded lanceolate leaves up to 5 inches long are medium green above and glaucous on the undersides. An excellent native landscaping asset for those areas that stay consistently moist.

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