Goat willow grows furry catkins

This tree is an important source of food for the first insects emerging after winter. Standing about 10 metres tall, goat willow’s bark is grey-brown and develops diamond-shaped cracks as it ages. They are dioecious, which means that trees either have male or female flowers, which appear before the tree even grows its leaves. Goat willow flowers are catkins, which are actually clusters of flowers, usually long and slim. Goat willow catkins, however, look like furry cat paws. On male trees they start out grey and turn yellow with pollen; on female trees they are more green. Bees, flies and hoverflies feed on goat willow catkins and after dark some species of moth are attracted to its branches.…

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The Week Junior (UK) (Digital) - 1 Issue, 480

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