I would not worry about leaf damage this late in the growing season. Maybe someone more familiar with this plant can give you more extensive advice.

It looks plenty vigorous. Remember they start very early in spring, so it may be just be entering dormancy that's normal by its calendar.. I'm no expert on salix, so someone else may say something different.

However, I am an expert on neglected pruning and trying to correct shrubs that I've let grow out of control. Look at the "trunks" of the plant. It is on the fast track to becoming a tangled thicket. There are two large stems wrapped around one another and others are growing too close together. There are also suckers growing from the base. Read up a bit on pruning shrubs like this....can someone provide the correct term so OP can google it? (senior moment)

anyway get on top of next spring so you won't have a huge job or do drastic pruning and lose a year of 'pussies'.

That does make sense Marie Tulin! This is the first plant in my yard to break dormancy in the spring.

I never noticed the tangled stems till you pointed it out. I'll get rid of those suckers.

I was really going for the natural look but if the tangled portion could cause issues down the road I'll study up on pruning.

also on pruning timing ... now or fall. might not be the best timing ....

by assuming its an early fall phenom .. you are leaving out all weather since spring ... e.g. my 12 weeks of intense heat and drought ....

at this time of august.. minor leaf discoloration is irrelevant.. and i might go as far as 50% of the leaves ...

and to be specific about pussy willow ... you cant kill them if you want .. lol .. so i would never invest another penny on this thing.. not fert.. not water.. not nothing .... and definitely not treating it somehow ...

its fully established.. and now pronounced free range ...

i would prune it right after next flowering ... yes.. technically.. those are flowers ...

ken

Sounds like a plan...this plant is amazing. I hardly ever watered it in 2 years, no fertz and no pruning so far. It gets all its water from my sump pump ejected water.