I went for a walk at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum looking for a hint of spring. And I found all the willows covered with catkins.
The goat willow (Salix Caprea), frequently referred to as the pussy willow, is a common tree species. It is a wetlands plant in the wild, and if not pruned, it will grow up to 20 feet tall. Catkins are a true harbinger of spring, and it is tradition at my home to bring a few branches of pussy willows into the house as spring’s first bouquet.
The Dappled Willow (Salix Integra) is also known as The Japanese Willow or ‘Hakuro-nishiki’ and is one of the smaller willows, often grown as a shrub or small tree. The catkins appear in early spring just before the leaves unfurl. Willows are one of the earliest trees to leaf out, often as much as 4 weeks before other trees.
The colors in your catkin photo (the top one) are perfection! Makes me want to be out in the warm spring sunshine.
I really like the unfurling of the dappled willow in the second photo. Nice detail. 🙂
I love the little fuzzy buggers. They appeal to my sense of utility. Seems like there should be a use for the little furred pellets.
So nice to see spring emerging, however slowly.
Beautiful color and detail Bo, great shots !!
Aren’t these pussy willows?
Are “catkins” the buds of the pussy willow? Catkins is a new term for me, too.