ネコヤナギは他の花々に先駆けて、いち早く春の訪れを告げる白銀色の花。フワフワの毛に覆われて猫のようだから、花言葉は「自由」です。
The pussy willow is a silver-white flower that heralds the arrival of spring ahead of other flowers. The flower language is “freedom” because it is covered with fluffy hair and looks like a cat.
【仮名】ネコヤナギ, カワヤナギ
【和名】猫柳, 川柳
【英名】Pussy Willow
【学名】Salix gracilistyla
【誕生】01/ 23, 02/ 05, 02/ 10, 09/ 13
【開花】02, 03, 04月
【花色】White
ネコヤナギ
ネコヤナギの生態
ネコヤナギはヤナギ科の落葉低木です。北海道から本州、四国、九州、朝鮮半島、中国まで分布。河川や湖沼の近くなど、水が豊富で日当たりの良いところに自生しています。他の花々に先駆けて、いち早く春の訪れを告げる白銀色の花穂。庭木として生け花の花材として好まれます。
ネコヤナギの名前
ネコヤナギの名前の由来は、花がフワフワの毛に覆われて、猫の尻尾のような柳だから。英名も「猫の柳」という意味です。ただし、漢字の本来の表記は「楊」。万葉集でも、枝が垂れ下がるシダレヤナギなどは「柳」、枝が立ち上がるネコヤナギなどは「楊」と、区別されています。
ネコヤナギの別名
ネコヤナギの別名は、水辺を好むからか「カワヤナギ」。地方名が多く、猫に因んだ「ネコネコ」「ネコジャラシ」「ネコノマクラ」「ニャンコノキ」、犬に因んだ「イヌコロ」「エノコロ」「インコロ」「イノコロヤナギ」、牛に因んだ「ベコベコ」「ベコヤナギ」などがあります。
ネコヤナギの雌雄
ネコヤナギは春、葉に先立って銀白色の短毛に覆われた花を咲かせます。雌雄異株で、雄株は雄花、雌株は雌花が展開。雄花は雄しべが紅色の葯から黄色の花粉を出します。雌花は雌しべがヒメハナバチ類により受粉。果実は熟すと弾け、綿毛に包まれた種子「柳絮」が飛び出します。
ネコヤナギの花言葉
ネコヤナギの花言葉は、厳しい冬を耐え抜いて、春いち早く芽を吹くので「努力が報われる」。花がフワフワの毛に覆われてネコのようだから「自由」です。天に向かって大きく枝葉を伸ばす姿が開放的だから「親切」。その枝葉が細く、しなやかで柔らかいので「思いのまま」です。
Pussy Willow
Ecology of pussy willow
Pussy willow is a deciduous shrub of the Salix family. Distributed from Hokkaido to Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Korean Peninsula, and China. It grows naturally in sunny places with abundant water, such as near rivers and lakes. A silver-white flower spike that heralds the arrival of spring ahead of other flowers. It is preferred as a flower arrangement for Ikebana, as a garden tree.
Name of pussy willow
The name of pussy willow comes from the willow, whose flowers are covered with fluffy hair and look like the tail of a cat. The English name also means “cat willow”. However, the original notation of Chinese characters is “Yang”. Even in the Manyoshu, weeping willows with hanging branches are called “willows”, and pussy willows with rising branches are called “yang”.
Another name for pussy willow
Another name for pussy willow is “Kawayanagi” because it likes the waterside. There are many local names, such as “Nekoneko”, “Nekojarashi”, “Nekonomakura”, “Nyankonoki”, which are associated with cats, “Inukoro”, “Enokoro”, “Inkoro”, “Inokoroyanagi”, which are associated with dogs, and “Bekobeko” and “Bekoyanagi”, which are associated with cows.
Male and female of pussy willow
Pussy willow blooms silver-white short-haired flowers prior to its leaves in spring. It is dioecious, with male flowers for male plants and female flowers for female plants. For male flowers, the stamens produce yellow pollen from the crimson anthers. The pistil of the female flower is pollinated by the bees. When the fruit ripens, it pops and the fluffy seed “Ryuhjo” pops out.
Flower language of pussy willow
The flower language of pussy willow survives the harsh winter and sprouts early in the spring, so “efforts are rewarded.” It is “free” because the flowers are covered with fluffy hair and look like a cat. “Kindness” because the appearance of the branches and leaves extending toward the heavens is open. The branches and leaves are thin, supple and soft, so it is “as you wish”.
