Pussy Willow often is the earliest source of nectar for pollinators, blooming sometimes in late February.  It is a larval host to the Mourning Cloak, Viceroy and Red-spotted Purple butterflies as well as and several moths including the nation's largest, the Cecropia. 
 
     Willows are among Keystone Plants because they feed hundreds of pollinators.  They also provide early season food for songbirds, waterfowl and small mammals.
  
     Pussy Willow is a beautiful, small tree that makes a fine specimen.  It also works well as a hedge or incorporated into a pollinator or rain garden.   Its stems, with catkins, often are used as indoor arrangements.
 
     Fun fact: The common name comes from the silver, velvety spring catkins on leafless stems that look like kitten paws.