What is "pussy willow"

Pussy \Pussy\, n. [Dim. of puss.]

1. A pet name for a cat; also, an endearing name for a girl.

2. A catkin of the pussy willow.

3. The game of tipcat; -- also called pussy cat.

   Pussy willow (Bot.), any kind of willow having large cylindrical catkins clothed with long glossy hairs, especially the American Salix discolor; -- called also glaucous willow, and swamp willow.

Willow \Wil"low\, n. [OE. wilowe, wilwe, AS. wilig, welig; akin to OD. wilge, D. wilg, LG. wilge. Cf. Willy.]

1. (Bot.) Any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, including many species, most of which are characterized often used as an emblem of sorrow, desolation, or desertion. ``A wreath of willow to show my forsaken plight.''
   --Sir W. Scott. Hence, a lover forsaken by, or having lost, the person beloved, is said to wear the willow.

   And I must wear the willow garland For him that's dead or false to me.
   --Campbell.

2. (Textile Manuf.) A machine in which cotton or wool is opened and cleansed by the action of long spikes projecting from a drum which revolves within a box studded with similar spikes; -- probably so called from having been originally a cylindrical cage made of willow rods, though some derive the term from winnow, as denoting the winnowing, or cleansing, action of the machine. Called also willy, twilly, twilly devil, and devil. Almond willow, Pussy willow, Weeping willow. (Bot.) See under Almond, Pussy, and Weeping. Willow biter (Zo["o]l.) the blue tit. [Prov. Eng.] Willow fly (Zo["o]l.), a greenish European stone fly ( Chloroperla viridis); -- called also yellow Sally. Willow gall (Zo["o]l.), a conical, scaly gall produced on willows by the larva of a small dipterous fly ( Cecidomyia strobiloides). Willow grouse (Zo["o]l.), the white ptarmigan. See ptarmigan. Willow lark (Zo["o]l.), the sedge warbler. [Prov. Eng.] Willow ptarmigan (Zo["o]l.)

   1. The European reed bunting, or black-headed bunting. See under Reed.

   2. A sparrow ( Passer salicicolus) native of Asia, Africa, and Southern Europe.

      Willow tea, the prepared leaves of a species of willow largely grown in the neighborhood of Shanghai, extensively used by the poorer classes of Chinese as a substitute for tea.
      --McElrath.

      Willow thrush (Zo["o]l.), a variety of the veery, or Wilson's thrush. See Veery.

      Willow warbler (Zo["o]l.), a very small European warbler ( Phylloscopus trochilus); -- called also bee bird, haybird, golden wren, pettychaps, sweet William, Tom Thumb, and willow wren.

n. a generic name given to a number of species of willow and sallow when their catkins are still young in spring

1. n. small willow of eastern North America having grayish leaves and silky catkins that come before the leaves [syn: Salix discolor]

2. much-branched Old World willow having large catkins and relatively large broad leaves [syn: goat willow, florist's willow, Salix caprea]

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.