What Are Willow Catkins on a Willow Tree? When They Fall, When They End, and How to Prevent and Treat Allergies

Every year at the same time, willow catkins become the target of “complaints” from friends in the north, while for friends in the south who do not have this trouble, what are willow catkins on a willow tree? When will they fall? What should you do if you are allergic? and a whole series of other questions are not very clear, so today we will answer them one by one for you.

1. What are willow catkins on a willow tree?

Willow catkins are the seeds of the willow tree, covered with white down, which scatter in the wind like floating catkins, hence the name willow catkins. Their stipules grow only on sprouting branches.

In addition, there is another kind in daily life——poplar catkins, which look very similar to willow catkins, but the flowers that bloom on poplar trees are actually called poplar catkins; they are the substance that appears when the fruit clusters of female poplar trees mature and split open from the fruit, whereas what we commonly call willow catkins are the seeds of the willow tree. Poplar catkins are the seeds of the poplar tree, and willow catkins are the seeds of the willow tree.

Poplar catkins have a more cohesive texture and look more like cotton in appearance, while willow catkins have more dispersed, slender fibers, so they can fly farther.

2. When do willow catkins fall and when do they end?

1. Falling

Willow catkins mainly fall in spring from April to May, during the period of late spring and early summer. However, in some urban districts where willow trees are planted, some chemicals are sprayed in advance to prevent willow catkins from falling and triggering various allergic reactions, which also has a certain protective effect on the health of residents.

2. Ending

Willow catkins generally end at the end of May, when summer begins. But the time of appearance and ending differs in each region; for example, in the Shandong region, mid-April is the peak of willow catkin falling, ending after 1-2 weeks; in the Nanjing region, it lasts from April until it ends in May.

3. What should you do if you are allergic to willow catkins?

1. Treatment

If the allergic reaction is very mild, just stay indoors and avoid contact with willow catkins, and it will improve before long. If the situation is serious, you can seek medical attention nearby, or apply ointment to relieve the allergy symptoms.

2. Prevention

People with an allergic constitution can take anti-allergy medication in advance for prevention, or supplement with vitamin C, and can also eat more foods such as red dates, carrots, enoki mushrooms, onions, and garlic; they all contain large amounts of anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy substances, and can effectively prevent allergic reactions such as pollen allergy and allergic dermatitis.

In addition, if willow catkins flying everywhere are relatively common in your area, it is recommended to wear a mask when going out and avoid the willow catkin “peak period”; for example, in clear weather, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is generally the high-incidence period for catkin drift. Choose morning or evening, or times when the humidity is relatively high, to go out.