Pussy Willow Traditional Cache

Pussy Willows like it wet. The cache is across the ditch from it, so you and I don't need to get wet. Please BYOP and find more cache information at the bottom of the page.

Pussy Willow

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. These species include (among many others):

Goat willow or goat sallow (Salix caprea), a small tree native to northern Europe and northwest Asia.

Grey willow or grey sallow (Salix cinerea), a small tree native to northern Europe.

American pussy willow (Salix discolor), native to northern North America.

Before the male catkins of these species come into full flower they are covered in fine, greyish fur, leading to a fancied likeness to tiny cats, also known as “pussies”. The catkins appear long before the leaves, and are one of the earliest signs of spring. At other times of year trees of most of these species are usually known by their ordinary names.

Cultural traditions.

The many buds of the pussy willow make it a favourite flower for Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year). The fluffy white blossoms of the pussy willow resemble silk, and they soon give forth young shoots the color of green jade. In Chinese tradition, this represents the coming of prosperity. Towards the Lunar New Year period in spring, stalks of the plant may be bought from wet market vendors or supermarkets.

Once unbundled within one's residence, the stalks are frequently decorated with gold and red ornaments - ornaments with colours and text that signify prosperity and happiness. Felt pieces of red, pink and yellow are also a common decoration in Southeast Asia.

The flowering shoots of pussy willow are used both in Europe and America for spring religious decoration on Palm Sunday, as a replacement for palm branches, which do not grow that far north.

Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox, Ruthenian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Bavarian and Austrian Roman Catholics, Finnish and Baltic Lutherans and Orthodox and various other Eastern European peoples carry pussy willows on Palm Sunday instead of palm branches. This custom has continued to this day among Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Romanian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Ruthenian Catholic, Ukrainian Catholic, Kashubian Catholic and Polish Catholic emigrees to North America. Sometimes, on Palm Sunday they will bless both palms and pussywillows in church. The branches will often be preserved throughout the year in the family's icon corner.

Pussy willow also plays a predominant role in Polish Dyngus Day (Easter Monday) observances, continued also among Polish-Americans, especially in the Buffalo, New York area.

Salix discolor, the American pussy willow or glaucous willow, is a species of willow native to North America, one of two species commonly called pussy willow.

It is native to the northern forests and wetlands of Canada (British Columbia east to Newfoundland), and is also found in the northern portions of the contiguous United States (Idaho east to Maine, and south to Maryland).

It is a weak-wooded deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 6 m (20 ft) tall, with brown shoots. The leaves are oval, 3–14 cm long and 1-3.5 cm broad, green above and downy grey-white beneath.

The flowers are soft silky silvery catkins, borne in early spring before the new leaves appear, with the male and female catkins on different plants (dioecious); the male catkins mature yellow at pollen release.

The fruit is a small capsule 7–12 mm long containing numerous minute seeds embedded in cottony down.

Cultivation and uses;

Like other willows, it contains salicin, and was used by Native Americans as a painkiller.

As with the closely related Salix caprea (European pussy willow), it is also often grown for cut flowers. Pussy willow has further cultural information and other uses.

The Cache is a tied in, camoed, big "Micro" pill bottle, that you have to push hard to open and close. It's an ordinary KET cache, i.e. just holds a rolled log with a rubber band, in a tiny zip lock bag. As always, please put it back as you found it or better, and report if anything is missing.