These are the furry catkins of American pussy willow (Salix discolor) during Wednesday’s cold weather. (“Catkin” is not an endearment whispered to felines; it’s a botanical term for slim flower clusters with nonexistent or tiny petals.) Pussy willow catkins usually are one of the first signs that winter has lost its grip, but not this week – the following day we had an April blizzard.
Of course, the common name for this furry plant, “pussy willow,” reflects the resemblance of its catkins to cat or kitten paws. That “fur” only is on male pussy willows to protect their flower pollen from the elements. The male flowers have no petals or scent; they’re just stamens that are pregnant with pollen.
The cat fur soon will be shed, allowing the stamens to cast massive amounts of dusty pollen to the wind, often producing small, drifting yellow clouds in the nearby air and sneezes in nearby noses. The wind has the job of making sure that some pollen finds eagerly awaiting female flowers. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on April 3,2024.)