pyrifolia

This lovely Willow is native to the upper Northeastern States and most of the Canadian Provinces. On our property in Vermont we have one bush of this species; it’s a lonely male clone and we haven’t seen another plant of this species anywhere else in Vermont, although they are reported in the State. We have been given cuttings of other specimens of this species and some of them are female–so I will plant some near this lonely male so he can do his thing with a lady of his own kind!

This is a choice species, one of the most attractive native willows in the Northeast. Great foliage, beautiful flowers and winter stems that are very glossy dark red or reddish brown. The leaves are thin so that when they are very young they can be translucent; often they are red-tinged making it even more attractive. The leaves are glossy above and are, of course pear-shaped, but much smaller. The flowers open just as the leaves appear; in the meadow where it grows, it is surrounded by male and female bebbiana, discolor, eriocephala and petiolaris (and maybe sericea). We keep hoping to find a hybrid between the pear-leaf and one of the others; apparently hybrids with discolor have been reported, but no convincing specimens have been found (George Argus, Flora of North America). We might have to try our hands pollinating this to verify it! BTW I have never been able to smell the balsam odor on the buds and fresh leaves, sadly I have a lousy sense of smell! As this grows at 70° N above the Arctic Circle in Canada it maybe hardy to Zone 2 and could be our hardiest willow!