Here you see the fur-like catkins of the American pussy willow (Salix discolor) doing their jobs yesterday. That “fur” only appears on male pussy willows to protect their pollen from the elements.
These male flowers have no petals or scent; they’re just stamens loaded with pollen. The fur soon will disappear, and the spring winds will torment the pollen into a yellow storm that will pollinate nearby female shrubs and agitate nearby human noses.
Pussy willow catkins usually are the first sign that winter has lost its grip, although we’re never surprised by an April snowfall here. (By the way, “catkins” is a botanical term for slim flower clusters with tiny or nonexistent petals; the term is not limited to plants that have feline-sounding names.)
Of course, the common name for this furry plant, “pussy willow,” is due to the resemblance of its catkins to cat or kitten paws. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on March 24, 2023.)