another name for a catkin

[maggieriorda]

another name for a catkin

[Clanad]

An ament...

[spudqueen]

Pussy willow

[Artful]

Are you sure about that, spudqueen? For me Pussy willow and a catkin are 2 very different things.

[Artful]

On my (hazel)nut tree I have catkins in February, March but no Pussy willow.

[gen2]

Yes - pussy willow does have catkins according to http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=catkin
A usually dense, cylindrical, often drooping cluster of unisexual apetalous flowers found in willows, birches, and oaks. Also called ament.

Surprisingly though - no mention of hazel!

[Artful]

Ooof! gen2, I started getting worried when I read your post - not hazel? But I yahooed and found this .

[shaz-rla]

I am with spudqueen, even before I saw her answer I thought it was pussy willow.

[gen2]

Artful's link to the Oxford dictionary also gave this:
'ORIGIN from obsolete Dutch katteken �kitten�'
Could that be where the name pussy willow comes from?

[Artful]

Just looked in my Harrap's Shorter: catkin in French is chaton; under pussy willow I find repetition of catkin translates as chaton (du saule, etc) and then onto pussy willow, (tree) saule.

What about that then? I must admit pussy willow has always confounded me.

[Cetti]

This is what I've found in my books on trees and on the countryside.

Catkin - Flower spike found on Willow, Birch etc. So called because those on the Willow carry unusual hairs in a compact mass - hence the likeness to a little cat - or catkin.

Many trees bear their catkins before their leaves. Some have descriptive country names. Goat Willow is called Pussy Willow on account of its bright yellow fluffy male catkins. These are the 'palms' that used to decorate many churches on Palm Sunday.

Hazel catkins are also known as Lamb' Tails because of the way they hang on the tree, but the long red male catkins of the Black Poplar have earned the name of Devil's Fingers and is considered unlucky to pick them up.

[Localgirl]

Clanad is correct - it is ament.

Localgirl

[smee.tracey]

I grew up with catkin coming from pussywillow trees

[smee.tracey]

please, can't clanad be wrong for once! lol