You can treatleaf spot with the use of copper fungicidal agents. This is typically caused by anthracnose fungi, and is related to leaf blight.

Pussy willows are a resilient plant, even in growing environments which seem hostile. That said, there are still a few things to watch out for when growing these plants. Whether you’re encouraging shrubby, low growth or trying to develop a tree, here are a few issues you might encounter. Growing Problems That’s a common sign of a phosphorous deficiency that’s easy to repair. If you start seeing signs of nutrient deficiency and haven’t been fertilizing, add extra nutrients to the soil. While we recommend well-draining soil for most plants, pussy willows don’t need it. They do have wide-spreading roots, so soil that is very clay-like may cause the plants to grow slowly. This may be preferable for those planting in smaller areas. Most cut pussy willow stems are in a sort of time warp—dried at their peak fuzziness, and never allowed to fully flower. But if you keep fresh-cut pussy willows hydrated, you can see the whole flowering cycle and even the leafing-out process. Buy a healthy-looking bunch (look for flexible, greenish stems that don’t feel brittle or look shriveled), and place in a vase near a window, changing the water daily. You can add a little flower food if you have some. The imported willow leaf beetle,Plagiodera versicolora, causes skeletonization of leaves in its larval form. The adult form can leave large holes in leaves. Eliminate this beetle using BT, but the same caution holds true as above. Diseases

Special Series

The common name of these plants may have originated in an old folk tale. The story goes that kittens playing along a riverbank fell in, and the willow trees reached into the water to save them. Thus, the development of pussy willow trees. Pussy willow, glaucous willow, goat willow, great sallow, grey willow, large grey willow, grey sallow The male flowers are also a deep yellow due to pollen distribution. Female blossoms are greenish-grey in hue. They mature to produce seeds that get carried away by the wind.

The highly important medicine, aspirin is developed from willow species. Some gardeners swear by the use of aspirin for plants, but there’s a lot of debate around that topic. Pussy Willow Varieties While it’s definitely a relative of the willow family, it often grows more as a shrub. Older specimens do become trees, but they tend to have weaker branches that don’t support much weight. While many people never have to fertilize their pussy willows, occasionally there can be nutrient imbalances in the soil. You will see the classic signs of those. For example, in the photo in the “pruning” segment above, you can see one very yellowed leaf that appears to have burned edges.

A: The easiest way to dry your pussy willow branches while maintaining the small, newly-opened catkins is to display them. Cut your branches right after the catkins have opened and place them into a dry vase, or bundle them as shown above. Allow them to dry out while on display! Be sure you plant them far away from septic tanks, sewer lines, and water lines. Their roots grow very deep and will bore through pipe walls! They love to grow along creek lines, rivers, and riparian areas. Humidity is great for pussy willow trees. Soil

The most complicated part of caring for this gorgeous plant is ensuring that there’s plenty of water, as they’re water-loving plants. But let’s go over the most important aspects to ensure you get a lush and healthy plant! Light and Temperature Buff Willow are rods that have been boiled in tanks for 8 to 10 hours and then stripped of their bark - the tannin in the bark turns the rods a copper colour.In fresh arrangements, the catkins will continue to develop into full flowers as the stalks will still have access to water. These fluffy blossoms are often used as part of Chinese New Year celebrations, tied together in clusters with red felt. As they will develop roots in water, it is possible to use them as a fresh arrangement and then plant them later! Powdery mildew is a less-damaging problem and is treatable. You can use neem oil or copper fungicides to eliminate this issue as well.