I agree with the above because I nearly cut some too. They grow almost mixed together so as I about put the knife to it I realized others around it had the fuzzy blooms. I did cut some other kind of willow a few months ago, cut into it yesterday and it had a wet wood smell and the cambium layer was thick and bright green. 7 shafts that will now be garden stakes. Those were mixed with ocean spray but I had just thought the flower bunches had fallen.