cottonwood bud catkins

cottonwood bud catkins. things to notice: The unblossomed bud in the top center of the photo, a bead of red resin leaking from it. You can collect these buds and infuse them into an oil that's good for pain relief and skin healing-- and smells amazing. The way the catkin erupts from the scales of the bud. Visible here in the center catkin, which still wears a bud as a hat. The two very clearly visible stages of catkin. one compact and just beginning to blossom, the other unfurled, looking like a chandelier. A third stage is just barely visible at the tip of the longest catkin where the flowers are beginning to fade. The bracts! They separate the flowers and protect them, then eventually fall off. They're clearly displayed on the third tier from the top of the center catkin, but also can be seen poking out of the more compact catkins to the right and left. how beautiful everything is