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 .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. 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.

Since the Chinese like numerous blossoms on a branch, the many buds of the pussy willow make it a favorites flower for Chinese New Year. The fluffy white blossoms of the pussy willow resemble silk, and they soon give forth young shoots the color of green jade. Chinese enjoy such signs of growth, which represent the coming of prosperity. Towards the Lunar New Year period, 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 colors and text that signify prosperity and happiness. Felt pieces of red, pink and yellow are also a common decoration in South East Asia.
Xie Daoyun's comparison of snow and willow catkins is a famous line of poetry and is used to refer to precocious young female poets.

 
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.
Pussy willow trees are native to wetlands of Canada and the eastern U.S. As a willow, the trees are part of the genus, Salix. The terminology "pussy willows" is used loosely to refer both to the trees themselves and to the furry buds on their branches (also known as "catkins"). However, to make a distinction, I refer to the former as "pussy willow trees" and to the latter as "pussy willows." The Latin name for these trees in North America is Salix discolor, while its rough equivalent in Europe, the "goat willow," goes by the scientific moniker, Salix caprea. Technically, Salix discolor is a deciduous shrub that can reach a height of twenty feet, if not pruned properly