The soft paws of pussy willow, a small native tree, go hand in hand with late February in the southern New England town where I live. But apparently we'll have to stick to town and city streets to find Salix discolor (its other name), because in a number of places, they are considered almost gone from the wild landscape.
They are not alone. For more examples, think balsam fir (Abies balsamea), eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), inkberry (Ilex glabra), fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), sweet gum tree, (Liquidambar styraciflua).
If I were in charge of the country's bumper stickers, I would change the popular "Plant a Tree" to read: "Plant a Native Tree."
To learn more, download the articles below. The first article is from the winter edition of the Connecticut Association Conservation and Inland Wetland Commissions. The second article is from Connecticut Woodlands magazine, published by Connecticut Forest and Park Association.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 Native trees to select during 2014 growing season. | 408.94 KB |
| What to select when storms topple trees. | 325.83 KB |