Saturday, March 7, 2015

Winter Tree Following: cottonwood, juniper, willow

Cottonwood twigs collected in January are leafing out – indoors.  In the wild, leaves won't appear until late May.
It’s time to part with my cottonwood and choose a new tree to follow.  I was considering junipers (also called cedars) as they’re emblematic of the American West and linked to lots of interesting history and stories.  The trees are photogenic.  The wood is beautiful, varied, aromatic.  But … I was waylaid by a willow.

I was searching for a suitable juniper in the foothills just east of town.  They’re common, especially on rockier slopes and in draws.  We walked up a small dry draw with a box canyon at the head.
The mouth of the draw is marked by the large clump of junipers right of center.
The drainage widens beyond the mouth.  Junipers are common.
Further upstream, the draw narrows into a box canyon rimmed with limestone.
That day the head of the box canyon was decorated with fresh snow cornices (photo by DM).
A large juniper in the bottom of the canyon caught my eye.  It grows in a neat spot.  After a hard rain or with enough snow melt, a temporary stream flows down the canyon and a side stream drops in off the cliff behind the juniper.
Rocky Mountain juniper, Juniperus scopulorum, on left – a candidate for tree following.
When I squeezed through the brush to look at the north side, I found a leafless tree with white spots scattered through the crown.
Little cat feet.
The white spots were emerging catkins (flower clusters) … furry ones, like the catkins of pussy willows.  I collected two twigs to watch at home.
Willow kittens/catkins, after several weeks indoors.
Young catkin covered in dense silky hairs.  It must be male; female catkins lack fur.
Is this tree really a pussy willow?  It could be … the North American pussy willowSalix discolor, grows in southeast Wyoming.  But there are other willows with furry young catkins, so I won’t put a name on it yet.  Discretion is the better part of valor, in plant identification as well as war (Falstaff).
Branching base of tree … or large shrub (willows are that way).
Bark on stems and branches is pale and rough.
North American pussy willow is said to be one of the earliest trees to bloom ... long before leaves appear.  Willow keys are based on leaves so I will have to wait to identify this one, maybe months.  But whatever it is, I’m enchanted by this tree that blooms in February in cold snowy Wyoming.  I think I’ll follow it.
Willow from canyon rim.

Tree following is a tradition started by Lucy Corrander of Loose and Leafy.  Followers from around the world “gather” each month to report on their trees.  Read the March news here. And consider joining us ... it's so interesting ... and fun!

22 comments:

  1. The catkins are so cute!
    Interesting how sometimes we are looking for something and find something else even better than what we looked for.
    Have a wonderful day!
    Lea

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    1. You're right, Lea. In fact I love it when I "find something else even better" ... a lesson not to try to control things too much, not to get hung up in expectations. What things we learn in following a tree! ;-)

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  2. Great tree to follow. I have a thing for fuzzy blooms and buds. Star Magnolias are a favorite because of that. They look like they're about ready to bloom throughout most of the winter. I'll look forward to your posts about this willow in the months to come.

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  3. Love your photos and I can see how you became entranced by the willow. I didn't know about the male/female/hair/no hair thing. I can only imagine that it's gratifying to have something bloom in February in Wyoming.

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    1. You're right -- it was wonderful to find that willow in bloom! Our willows are tough to id, but maybe the early blooming will help.

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  4. I was considering following our male willow. It's already in full bloom. The bees have been enjoying it's delights. I'll have to keep an eye on yours. Please mention if you get bees on yours.

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    1. Now that's interesting ... it's way too cold here for bees right now so does that mean this willow has no "interest" in bees? It seems crazy that it's blooming now.

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  5. I can never quite come to terms with this kind of landscape. Your rock-country photographs remind me only of films, not of anything I've experienced personally. Wonderful.
    Interesting about the 'catkins' 'cat's feet'. I have always associated 'catkins' with 'cat tails'. When I look it up in the dictionary it says it's derived from a Dutch word for 'kitten' - which fits specially well with the Pussy Willow kind - round and soft and fluffy instead of long.
    But I also seem to remember reading recently (maybe on a tree following post?) that it comes from something else entirely , , , but that isn't the point I'm heading for . . .
    Yesterday I went to an open day at our local agricultural college. It was billed as a time for seeing newly born lambs but new-born lambs are not specially interesting because all they do is sit by their mothers and sleep. Lambs are much more entertaining when they are a bit older and dashing around and chasing each other and standing on rocks and . . . Anyway, I'll get there in the end! . . . So I went to look at the pigs and the sheep and the (here we are!) chickens. And among the chickens were a smallish, white kind with huge flappy feet covered in white feathers. And (if you're still with me after this long way round) . . . I'll now be thinking of catkins at their bursting open stage as 'chicken feet' - which will confuse everybody!
    P.S. I've changed your entry on the Loose and Leafy Tree Following page to 'Willow' http://tinyurl.com/bv6pzt5 .

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    1. I love it, Lucy! My mind works that way at times too, and it's always a joy. (so no reason to apologize!)

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  6. Oh! I hadn't realised how long that comment was until I pressed 'publish'. Sorry!

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  7. Lovely set of photos, the catkins are just coming through on the trees at the park, I love how soft they are to touch. Look forward to finding out what it is, and please be so careful photographing, as it looks not to be in the best place for close ups.
    Amanda xx

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    1. thanks, amanda. It was such a treat to find those silky catkins this time of year. And yes ... I will take closeups from the ground, not the cliff!

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    2. Hi Hollis, just letting you know I have done a post on my light box, you can see it here. http://thequietwalker.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/lifting-lid-on-light-box.html
      Amanda xx

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  8. Wonderful post. Great looking tree. I especially enjoyed the photos of the rock formations. I'm looking forward to seeing what the tree will look like in the next few months.

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    1. thanks, Anna, I'm glad you appreciate the rocks. I love that little limestone canyon, so how nice to find a followable tree there!

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  9. I really enjoyed reading about your discovery of the willow and will look forward to future reports :) Love the looks of that canyon - it must be a fantastic place to explore for plants in!

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    1. Thanks, Amy. The canyon is limestone, so there are some interesting plants ... one reason I went there looking for a tree.

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  10. It is hard to decide indeed what to follow - so many trees...Willows are great and the early catkins are such a bonus! Maybe when in leaf, you'll be able to ID it. I love the quote :)

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    1. Many of our willows are tough to id! Are yours? I wouldn't pick a willow as a tree-to-be-followed, but this one with its early silky catkins was irresistible. I'm hoping the very early blooming will be diagnostic.

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