猫柳 Pussy willow

猫柳は春の訪れを告げる日本人にはなじみ深い植物です。散歩中に猫柳が花をつけているのを発見。ここコーンウォールでは２月半ばですが花が咲き始めています。とくに黄色いラッパ水仙は道端でよく見かけます。

The plant, Pussy willow, is popular as a sign of spring in Japan. During a stroll, here in Cornwall, I found the pussy willow had come out. There are some flowers in bloom already in the middle of February. Daffodils especially, are coming out everywhere.

ところでこの猫柳ですが、英語で「ｐｕｓｓｙ（猫）　ｗｉｌｌｏｗ（柳）」というのです。（※ｐｕｓｓｙはｃａｔの幼児語。にゃんこ、みたいな感じです。）猫柳は中国でもおめでたい植物として旧正月の飾りになったりしていますが、中国名は「細柱柳」、そう猫柳ではありません。和名「ネコヤナギ」は猫のしっぽに似ているから名付けられたようで英名の由来と一緒。でも江戸時代までは一般に「カワヤナギ」と呼ばれていたようです。（川辺によく生息しているため。）英名「ｐｕｓｓｙ　ｗｉｌｌｏｗ」に触発されて変わったわけではないと思うので、誰がみてもそのかわいい花（と呼べるか分りませんが）は猫のしっぽみたいというわけですね。

Incidentally, pussy willow is called neko(cat) yanagi(willow) in Japanese, exactly the same meaning. In China it's also widely liked as a propitious sign and decorated for Chinese New Year, but called a different name, xizhuliu (thin stalk willow) in Chinese. The Japanese name neko yanaghi seems to be named because the blossom looked like a cat's tale, - the same reason as behind the English name pussy willow. In fact before the Edo period(1603-1867) neko yanagi was generally called kawa(river) yanagi(willow), which was because the plant grows by rivers. I don't think the common name was changed by the influence of the English name. That means everyone thinks the cute blossom looks like a cat's tale.