Black Willow
Salix nigra
- Native to:
- Canada, Mexico, United States
Judy Gallagher (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Salicaceae
- Genus:
- Salix
- Species:
- Salix nigra
- USDA Symbol:
- SANI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 3000 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, green
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
Reported Fauna Sightings
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 and stump after fire or cutting; commonly used for streambank stabilization due to rapid regrowth.
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 floodplains
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 1–14 days
- Notes:
- Seeds are short-lived and must be sown immediately after collection on moist soil with full light; no dormancy period required.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cuttings are stuck to a depth of 10 cm in a 2:1:1 peat:perlite:vermiculite mixture. A controlled release fertilizer 14-14-14 (N-P-K) 3 -4 month is incorporated into the media at the rate of 4 kg/m3. Cuttings are watered and kept moist throughout the rooting period using an intermittent misting schedule.
Establishment: Stem cuttings are taken from dormant trees grown in the Mora River Valley in north central New Mexico. Cuttings are sealed in polybags to prevent desiccation, and brought to the nursery on ice in coolers. Cuttings are then placed in a walk-in cooler (2 - 4°C) for storage. The earlier the cuttings are taken (late February through March) the longer the cuttings can be stored before bud burst occurs during storage. Once bud burst occurs, rooting success drops quickly.
Source: npn.rngr.net