Pussy Willow
Conservation status
Secure
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malpighiales Family: Salicaceae Genus: Salix Species: S. discolor
Binomial name
Salix discolor L.

The Pussy Willow, (Salix discolor), is a small, weak-wooded tree, often grown for cut flowers. Cuttings of its branches can be planted and will grow into full shrubs. It is common to the northern forests and wetlands of Canada and Alaska. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (600x900, 48 KB) Salix discolor From: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database [1] Robert H. Mohlenbrock. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta—liverworts Anthocerotophyta—hornworts Bryophyta—mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta—rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta—zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta—clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta—trimerophytes Pteridophyta—ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta—seed ferns Pinophyta—conifers Cycadophyta—cycads Ginkgophyta—ginkgo Gnetophyta—gnetae Magnoliophyta—flowering plants... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ... Orders See text. ... Families Family Achariaceae Family Balanopaceae Family Bonnetiaceae Family Caryocaraceae Family Chrysobalanaceae Family Clusiaceae Family Ctenolophonaceae Family Dichapetalaceae Family Elatinaceae Family Erythryloxaceae (coca family) Family Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) Family Euphroniaceae Family Goupiaceae Family Humiriaceae Family Hypericaceae (St Johns wort family) Family Irvingiaceae Family Ixonanthaceae Family Lacistemaceae Family Linaceae (flax family... Genera See text. ... Species About 350, including: Salix acutifolia - Violet Willow Salix alaxensis - Alaska Willow Salix alba - White Willow Salix alpina - Alpine Willow Salix amygdaloides - Peachleaf Willow Salix arbuscula - Mountain Willow Salix arbusculoides - Littletree Willow Salix arctica - Arctic Willow Salix atrocinerea Salix aurita - Eared Willow Salix babylonica - Peking Willow Salix bakko Salix barrattiana... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ...

Pussy willow branch

Its floral buds are a soft silky grey, opening to yellow. When grown for use by florists, it is picked just as the buds expand in spring and can last indefinitely once it is dried. It is a very popular kind of decorative branch because of its visual appeal and unusual look. The branches can be put in vases or the buds can be used for table decorations. In winter, the live buds close up until the next spring. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 370 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Pussy willow (Salix discolor), Massachusetts. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 370 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Pussy willow (Salix discolor), Massachusetts. ... Floristry is most often understood as referring to the cultivation of flowers as well as their arrangement, rather than to the business of selling them. ...

Cultural References

• Russians Russian Orthodox Church,Poles Roman Catholic Church, and other East European peoples carry pussy willows on Palm Sunday with/instead of palm branches (which do not grow that far north). This custom has continued to this day among Russian Orthodox,Polish Catholics, and among Ukrainian Catholics emigrees to North America. Sometimes, on Palm Sunday, they will bless both palms and pussywillows in church.
• Pussy willow plays a predominant role in Dyngus Day (Easter Monday) observances among Polish-Americans, especially in the Buffalo, New York area.