Salix caprea (Goat Willow, also known as the Pussy Willow or Great Sallow), is a common species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree, reaching a height of 6-12 m, rarely to 20 m. The leaves are 3-12 cm long and from 2-8 cm wide, broader than most other willows. The flowers are soft silky, silvery 3-7 cm long catkins, produced in early spring before the new leaves appear; the male and female catkins are on different plants (dioecious). The male catkins mature yellow at pollen release, the female catkins maturing pale green. The fruit is a small capsule 5-10 mm long containing numerous minute seeds embedded in fine cottony hairs. The seeds are very small (about 0.2 mm) with the fine hairs aiding dispersal; they require bare soil to germinate.
Pussy Willow, Pussy Willow, Salix caprea, Joydens Wood, Bexley, Kent, plants, Trees & Shrubs; If possible, please credit Georgina Smith and pass on details of publication. Thankyou.
Pussy willow is a name given to many of the smaller species of the genus Salix (willows and sallows) when their furry catkins are young in early spring
A row of ancient traditionally pollarded willows (or 'withies') in the Cotswolds. Pollarding produces a flush of young, straight stems for basket-weaving & handle-making.
New Zealand; Aotearoa; North Island; Porirua; Pohutukawa; New Zealand Christmas Tree; trees; plants; flowers; buds; stamens; coiled; bursting; red; Metrosideros excelsa; endemic
Description
White flower buds, bursting to release long, tightly-coiled bright red stamens. The Pohutukawa, known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree because it blossoms from mid-December.
Once the willow tree catkins ripen they burst into thousands of seeds with very soft umrellas that carry them away on the wind. Many birds use the soft material for bedding in their nests.
Catkin, catkins, Hazel, Corylus avellana, male flower, pollen, lamb's tail, (Corylus - Greek korys - Helmet ref to the calyx covering the nut) avellana -- Avella, town in Italy, (nuts cultivated there). Hazel, old English haesel. Harbinger of Spring. William Lee.
Willow, Weeping Willow, Salix babylonica, River Cray, plants, Trees & Shrubs, autumn, fall, ; If possible, please credit Georgina Smith and pass on details of publication. Thankyou.;
