K'ay'

K'ay', willows, are among the most important flowering plants in early spring. Male and female catkins appear on separate trees before the leaves begin to unfurl. The male catkins are the showier of the two, dense with stamens tipped in bright yellow anthers that release pollen, while the female catkins bear small, forked stigmas ready to receive it. For the first bumblebee queens emerging from hibernation, a willow in flower is a welcome food source, offering both protein-rich pollen and nectar at a time when almost nothing else is blooming.

In Ahtna:

k'ay', pronounced kie, willow, Salix spp.