Goat Willow
Goat Willow
Tree
The 'pussy willow' tree — its soft, silvery spring buds burst into golden catkins that give bees one of their first feasts of the year.
💡 Fun Facts
- In early spring goat willow grows soft, silvery buds called 'pussy willow' because they feel just like a kitten's paw.
- The silver buds burst into fluffy golden catkins that offer bees one of the very first meals of the year.
- Goat willow trees are either boys or girls — only the male trees make the bright yellow, pollen-dusted catkins.
📅 Through the Year
- Leaf-out:April
- Flowering:February to April
- Fruiting:May to June
- Leaf fall:October
Name Story
Salix caprea
means “the goat willow”
a traditional storyThe 'goat' comes from a traditional old illustration, not from anything goat-like about the plant itself.
What does its name mean?
- Salix — willowLatin — the old Roman name for the willow
- caprea — of the she-goat (and, strictly, 'roe deer')Latin capra, 'she-goat'
Salix caprea means 'the goat willow'. The 'goat' is thought to come from an old herbal book of 1546 with a woodcut picture of a goat nibbling its leaves. This is the willow of the fat, silvery spring catkins many people call 'pussy willow'.