Arroyo Willow
Salix lasiolepis
Willow Family (Salicaceae)
Native
Key Identifying Characteristics
Deciduous, native shrub to small tree grows with narrow green leaves and fuzzy catkins (pussy willows) in spring. Arroyo Willow is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Height / Size
7 to 35 feet tall, up to 10 feet wide. Size ranges from shrub to small tree.
Leaves or Needles
Narrow, green leaves are alternate, wider near the tip than the base and pale underneath.
Bark / Trunk
Single or multiple trunks with gray bark.
Flower
Male catkins and female catkins appear on separate plants (dioecious). Male catkins are yellow, female catkins are smaller and green. Flowers have no sepals and no petals. Catkins appear before leaves.
Bloom time: January to February.
Fruit / Seed / Cone
Tiny seeds are windblown in fluffy cotton masses.
Habitat
Common in riparian zones, and moist soils along creeks.
Location / Range
Trout Farm Trail, and common along creekside trails. Grows in northern, southern and central California to 7000 feet.
Lifespan
Willows typically live to 35 years.
Fascinating / Fun Facts
Willow leaves and bark contain a compound, salicin, the active ingredient in aspirin. Indigenous peoples of California use willow as a medicinal plant, the inner bark is used to make rope, and the shoots and branches are used in basketry.
Read More
Ethnobotany
To learn how the Ohlone people used this plant see: Native American Ethnobotany Database
Nature Talks:
Sources:
Calflora
Calscape
PlantID.net for San Pedro Valley CP (NRDB.org)
VanderWerf, Barbara. 1994. Montara Mountain. Gum Tree Lane Books, El Granada, CA pg. 95