I would like to know the same thing, this is my first year of trying to dry flowers for wreaths and all and I was wondering about the pussy willow.
Kathy

The only thing I've read about drying them is not to pick them too late,(if you see any yellow, it is too late) and not to put them in water after cutting. Just stand them in a vase or container in a dry place 'til you are ready to use them.I had some given to me once, & they lasted for years. You are lucky to have them; I saw a sm. bunch for 8.99 at the grocery store!

I cut mine at all different stages before they begin to produce pollen. Som I spray paint, black, copper, silver paint etc. In the moist spring air, they continue to mature. I then remove the husks and the catkins are smooth and satin shiny. I combine them with progressively fluffier catkins. Cut very tall for floor to ceiling indoor trees, stuck in heavy pots with concrete, rocks, sand or glass, and lighting and they make beautiful yearround changable decor!
To grow, just stick the green whips in the ground.

I don't know which forum to post this too...
Have any of you heard of a sand pail (pale?) willow? I work at a college that has huge containers places all around the courtyard outside. They recently filled them with pansies and then in the middle of the containers they placed pussy willow stalks. In a few of the containers, however, they put weirder, cooler, pussy willow type cuttings, but they are curly and kind of gnarly stems. The have an asian type of feel about them. I asked the operations department what they were called, and was told sandpail (sp) willow?????
Help me!

If you want to force them, anytime after winter is over is OK. Once they start to break open you have about 3 max 4 weeks to cut them before they pollen out. This is true for the french discolor. The others are a little different.

Bryan