Question
Hi Laura, I live in Chicago, Illinois, which is zone 5 and my grocery store is selling fresh pussy wllows that are still in the fuzzy stage
(later they will turn green-leafed/then yellow flowers,just in case you don't call the plant the same as I me). I want to buy them and grow roots and plant them in my garden. Will these plants do?
Thanks for the help.

Answer
Margaret,
A Pussy Willow is actually a tree. So the "plants" you have now from the grocery store are just branches of Pussy Willow trees. It's just like taking a Dogwood or a Forsythia branch and bringing them indoors to open up their blooms.

I have not tried to root a Pussy Willow,but I have rooted Forsythia branches.I don't know if the Pussy Willow will root like that,but hey,you never know. If you want,you could try some hormone rooting powder and dip the branch about an inch in the powder,shake off the excess,then plant it in potting soil in a pot. Make sure you keep it moist,but not wet.You can get rooting powder at any garden center by the plant food and fertilizers.

After a few weeks tug very slightly on it to see if it has rooted.If it has then you did it! If not just leave it in their and continue to keep it moist,not wet,until it roots,if it does. I have not tried a Pussy willow so I can't say whether it will or not.

Good luck!