The catkins appear in late winter or very early spring and are easily forced into earlier bloom if brought into a warm house. Some are even ebony black. My own introduction to willows was born of laziness. I figured it would be a lot easier to choose plants that would thrive in the low, damp areas of my property than to raise or drain those areas. While I was thinking of willows primarily as a solution to planting in wet soil, I discovered many small tree and shrub forms that deserve a place of honor in the garden.
Willow flowers are tiny and come clustered in catkins.
The male catkins are usually finer-textured, and with their colorful stamens, are also much more ornamental. The large gray catkins gradually yellow as they mature. Their appearance in late winter before the leaves is a cheering sight. Without pruning, these willows grow to 20 feet or more. This recent introduction is one of the best for winter cutting.