Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Salicaceae

Genus:

Salix

Species:

Salix cascadensis

USDA Symbol:

SACA6

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

15 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Ground Cover:

Yes

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, small mammals

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; typical of alpine and subalpine willow species.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, nutrient-rich alluvial soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found along riverbanks and wetlands.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Willow seeds are short-lived and must be sown fresh on moist substrate; no pretreatment required.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI