According to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden site, the species most commonly called pussy willow in the Northeast, Salix discolor, is a small, shrubby species of willow that can be found dotting wetlands and moist woods throughout much of North America.
In Finland it is also very common to see these trees and so far I have seen two types. One is a shrub growing mostly alongside the canals and rivers. The other type is a big tree similar to a normal tree. Both blooms well with catkins ( small white cottony flower sprouts on every branches) under a good amount of sunlight exposure towards the end of winter sometime between February to April when they start to slowly shed their catkins off.
I am pretty much amazed by its beautiful catkins which are naturally beautiful for home ornaments and also for crafters, these are precious items which they can make into nice little item decors. There are several items willow tree branches can turn into with a care of good hands. Some ideas could be:
In Finland it is a common sight to see when you are driving in the suburbs. These beautiful plants are so enticing for me that I collected some for my own home decoration. There are a number of ways you can make it into something beautiful and if you are planning to do so, you can find some inspiration in Pinterest or Etsy. I have preserved some branches and it looks just as amazing as the fresh ones.