Winter Surprise Willow is a medium sized tree with a fast growth rate. While the main uses could be for screening and windbreaks, these quick growing willows could be used as smaller shade trees in your landscape, too. The real surprise about this fast growing tree is that in winter the furry catkins come out. Being one of the earliest willows to do so, it adds ornamental appeal when most plants are still asleep. This would be one of the few pussy willow types that can actually grow in tree form rather than as a bush.