Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Salicaceae

Genus:

Salix

Species:

Salix lutea

USDA Symbol:

SALU2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

700 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

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)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees, butterflies, small mammals

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from the root crown following fire or top-kill; common riparian species in fire-prone western landscapes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found near streams and rivers

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

7–28 days

Notes:

Seeds are short-lived and must be sown fresh on moist soil; no pretreatment required but seeds lose viability within weeks.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI