CATKINS

Catkins are special male flowers on some sorts of tree. They come out early in the year (often before the tree has leaves) and make lots of pollen that is blown away by the wind.

Catkin trees have special female flowers that, after some pollen has landed on them, will grow into seeds or nuts.

Getting pollen from one tree to another by wind works well if the trees grow close together. Trees that grow a long way apart from each other (like crab apples) have ordinary flowers that attract bees to carry their pollen.

Here are three common catkin trees:

Hazel Catkins
hazel
Hazel - female flower
hazel
Hazel - Nuts
hazel
Sallow - catkins (Pussy Willow)
sallow
Sallow - female flowers
sallow
Sallow seeds - blow in wind
sallow
Oak - catkins
oak
Oak - female flowers
oak
Oak - nuts
oak

 

Top of document


Organic Countryside Community Interest Company
Trading as Walden Countryside
Company number 06794848 - registered in England
VAT No: 947 3003 317

Updated 20 Januaryr 2021