wolf willow- bleached branches, fruits and seeds
I was reading in Fascinating Challenges, Studying Material Culture with Dorothy Burnham about the silver willow seeds which were pierced for beads on the fine fringe of traditional caribou hide garments made by the Gwich'in in the nineteenth century. Then on Easter Sunday, as I was walking by Wascana Lake in Regina, Saskatechewan, I realized the small willows planted along the road were not true willows but a wolf-willow or Eleagnus, and the low hanging branches were heavy with last years' fruits...so I started to peel the spongy pulp away, and ended up with a handful of oblong striped brown seeds, which would be suitable for beads. I also found the bleached branches still with leaves quite pretty, so brought some back to photograph. Looking in my plant books I realize this may actually be oleaster or Russian Olive a non-native species of Eleagnus related to the native wolf-willow. If anyone knows for sure which species it is I would appreciate knowing.
wolf willow- bleached branches, fruits and seeds
I was reading in Fascinating Challenges, Studying Material Culture with Dorothy Burnham about the silver willow seeds which were pierced for beads on the fine fringe of traditional caribou hide garments made by the Gwich'in in the nineteenth century. Then on Easter Sunday, as I was walking by Wascana Lake in Regina, Saskatechewan, I realized the small willows planted along the road were not true willows but a wolf-willow or Eleagnus, and the low hanging branches were heavy with last years' fruits...so I started to peel the spongy pulp away, and ended up with a handful of oblong striped brown seeds, which would be suitable for beads. I also found the bleached branches still with leaves quite pretty, so brought some back to photograph. Looking in my plant books I realize this may actually be oleaster or Russian Olive a non-native species of Eleagnus related to the native wolf-willow. If anyone knows for sure which species it is I would appreciate knowing.