Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Salicaceae

Genus:

Salix

Species:

Salix alaxensis

USDA Symbol:

SAAL

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

900 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★★★ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, moose, caribou, bees

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from root crown and adventitious buds following fire or mechanical disturbance. Common early successional species after fire in boreal and arctic regions.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, nutrient-rich, well-drained soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found in riverbanks and floodplains

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Seeds are short-lived and must be sown fresh on moist soil surface with light exposure. Viability declines rapidly within weeks of dispersal.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI